Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help a person that may possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that could have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and how to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support along with continued rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.