Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who may possibly not have been capable of being helped previously, stop drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better understand what led to their drug use and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support in addition to further rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.