Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who may not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better determine what caused their drug use and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support as well as further treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.