Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may possibly not have been able to be helped previously, stop substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better understand what triggered their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support and also further treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the individual must be medicated through out their lives either, and actually a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.