Dual diagnosis is 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 a person that might not have been capable of being helped in the past, put an end to drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better understand what triggered their drug abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support in addition to further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.