Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that may not have been able to be helped during the past, end substance abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.