Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help a person that might not have been able to be helped in the past, end drug or alcohol abuse by being accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that could have triggered and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an efficient treatment course for them, but will also help clients better know what led to their drug use and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.