Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help a person that might possibly not have been able to be helped during the past, end substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have triggered and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better determine what triggered their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support along with further rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the person will have to be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.