Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might not have been capable of being helped during the past, put an end to drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have triggered and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but may also help clients better determine what led to their drug use and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support as well as further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.