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