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 may help an individual who might not have been capable of being helped during the past, stop drug abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or treated incorrectly that could have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but will also help clients better know what triggered their substance abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include proper medical support in addition to further treatment services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't signify the individual must be medicated for the remainder of their lives either, and in fact a lot of people who have a dual diagnosis experience more effective results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.