Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may 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 could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the reality that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their substance abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which might include proper medical support as well as further treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in reality many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.