Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help a person that might not have been capable of being helped in the past, finish substance abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated that may have triggered and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better know what caused their substance abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include proper medical support along with further rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and actually a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.