Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might possibly not have been able to be helped during the past, put an end to substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which could have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better determine what triggered their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support in addition to further rehab services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual should be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.