Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone who may not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but will also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and ways to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support and also continued rehab services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.