Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help an individual who may not have been capable of being helped before, finish drug or alcohol abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better determine what led to their substance abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support in addition to continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person should be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.