Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that might not have been capable of being helped during the past, put an end to substance abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better determine what triggered their drug abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support along with continued rehab services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.