Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that may not have been able to be helped in the past, finish substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but will also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis might 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 may include appropriate medical support in addition to continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person should be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and actually lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.