Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help an individual who might not have been capable of being helped in the past, stop drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better know what triggered their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which may include proper medical support and also continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact lots of people who have a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.