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 might help a person that may possibly not have been able to be helped during the past, stop drug abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but could also help clients better understand what caused their drug use and the way to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include proper medical support along with continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.