Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone that may not have been able to be helped previously, end drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but will also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support and also further rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person must be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.