Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who might not have been able to be helped previously, finish drug abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that could have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better understand what led to their drug use and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support along with continued rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual should be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.