Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that might not have been capable of being helped before, put an end to substance abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better understand what triggered their drug use and ways to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person should be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality a lot of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.