Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who may not have been able to be helped in the past, end drug or alcohol abuse by being accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better understand what triggered their drug abuse and ways to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support in addition to further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.