Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that might possibly 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 mistreated which may have triggered and led to their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better determine what led to their substance abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.