Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who might possibly not have been able to be helped during the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better determine what led to their drug use and how to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support and also continued treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person must 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 treatment methods are employed.