Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help a person that might not have been able to be helped in the past, stop drug abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what led to their drug abuse and the way to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than 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 rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact many people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.