Dual diagnosis is a circumstance in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis will help someone that might not have been capable of being helped during the past, end substance abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what caused their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and individuals with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support along with continued rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.