Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who may not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop drug abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have prompted and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better know what led to their drug abuse and how to prevent it down the road. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support as well as continued rehabilitation services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual should be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.