Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help a person that might not have been capable of being helped in the past, finish drug or alcohol abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and the way to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.