Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most typically denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help someone that might possibly not have been able to be helped before, end substance abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better determine what led to their drug abuse and ways to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and folks with a dual diagnosis might need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support along with continued treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is utilized.