Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may possibly not have been capable of being helped before, stop drug abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but can also help clients better determine what triggered their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis is often 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 that might include appropriate medical support as well as further rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.