Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might possibly not have been capable of being helped before, stop substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that could have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but could also help clients better understand what caused their drug use and ways to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support along with continued 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 reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.