Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that might not have been able to be helped before, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated that could have prompted and led to their substance abuse issues. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better determine what led to their drug use and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis might be required to take part in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support as well as continued treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the person must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in reality lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.