Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may not have been able to be helped previously, stop substance abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that may have prompted and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to take part in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support in addition to further rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person must be medicated through out their lives either, and in reality many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.