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 can help an individual who may not have been capable of being helped before, end drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but will also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include proper medical support as well as continued rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.