Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help an individual who may not have been able to be helped before, finish drug or alcohol abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the truth that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what caused their drug abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support in addition to further rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many people with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.