Dual diagnosis is 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 can help someone who might not have been able to be helped in the past, stop substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what triggered their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program that might include proper medical support as well as further rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person must be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.