Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might not have been capable of being helped in the past, end substance abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better understand what triggered their substance abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might be required to take part in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support along with continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual should be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.