Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that may not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support as well as further treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.