Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby 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 that might not have been able to be helped in the past, end substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better know what caused their drug use and how to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support as well as continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.