Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help an individual who might not have been capable of being helped previously, finish drug or alcohol abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but could also help clients better know what triggered their drug use and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include proper medical support and also continued rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.