Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may not have been able to be helped in the past, stop drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better understand what caused their substance abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include proper medical support along with further rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person should be medicated through out their lives either, and actually lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.