Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help an individual who may not have been able to be helped before, put an end to drug or alcohol abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient treatment course for them, but could also help clients better know what led to their drug abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support and also continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person should be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.