Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that might not have been capable of being helped previously, stop substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better determine what caused their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support and also further treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person should be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.