Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone who may not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but could also help clients better understand what triggered their substance abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support along with continued rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.