Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone that might not have been able to be helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better determine what led to their substance abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support and also continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual will have to be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.