Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that may possibly not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment course for them, but will also help clients better understand what led to their drug use and ways to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support in addition to continued rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.