Dual diagnosis can be a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most typically describes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone who might not have been able to be helped before, stop drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their substance abuse problems. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an efficient treatment course for them, but could also help clients better understand what led to their substance abuse and the way to prevent it later on. 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 participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support and also continued treatment 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 individuals with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.