Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone that might not have been able to be helped before, stop drug abuse by being accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated that could have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but will also help clients better determine what caused their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis might need to take part in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.