Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone who may possibly not have been able to be helped previously, finish drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better determine what caused their drug use and how to prevent it in the future. Handling 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 take part in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support in addition to continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.