Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most typically describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help an individual who might not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what led to their drug abuse and how to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support as well as further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.