Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who may not have been able to be helped before, put an end to drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support along with further treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person should be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.