Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that may not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that may have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better determine what triggered their substance abuse and the way to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support in addition to further treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.