Dual diagnosis is a circumstance whereby two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes 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 substance abuse by being correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or mistreated which could have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the truth that someone is actually a dual diagnosis client not simply helps establish an effective course of treatment for them, but may also help clients better know what triggered their drug abuse and ways to prevent it in the future. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process when compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis might be required to participate in an extensive aftercare program which may include appropriate medical support along with continued rehabilitation services. Being diagnosed with co-occurring disorders doesn't mean that the person will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many people with a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.