Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may not have been able to be helped before, end drug or alcohol abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but could also help clients better understand what triggered their drug use and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support and also further rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.