Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may not have been able to be helped before, finish substance abuse by being accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated that could have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better determine what triggered their drug abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include proper medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.