Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may not have been able to be helped previously, put an end to drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better know what led to their drug abuse and the way to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support as well as further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will have to be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.