Dual diagnosis can be a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who might possibly not have been able to be helped during the past, put an end to substance abuse because they can be accurately diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly that may have triggered and resulted in their drug abuse issues. Establishing the truth that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an efficient course of treatment for them, but can also help clients better know what caused their drug use and how to prevent it down the road. Addressing dual diagnosis is often a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program that might include appropriate medical support as well as continued rehabilitation services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will have to be medicated through out their lives either, and in fact lots of people with a dual diagnosis experience more effective outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.