Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby 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 might possibly not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but will also help clients better determine what led to their substance abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support in addition to continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.