Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help a person that might not have been capable of being helped before, put an end to drug or alcohol abuse by being correctly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which could have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the truth that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish a highly effective treatment course for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their substance abuse and the way to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehab services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact many people with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.