Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often describes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help a person that may possibly not have been capable of being helped before, stop drug abuse by being properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which could have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish a highly effective treatment plan for them, but can also help clients better understand what caused their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis can be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include proper medical support along with further treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the individual should be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are employed.