Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis may help someone who may possibly not have been able to be helped before, stop drug or alcohol abuse because they can be properly diagnosed and helped. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have triggered and resulted in their drug or alcohol use issues. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not just helps establish an efficient treatment plan for them, but may also help clients better know what led to their substance abuse and ways to prevent it later on. Handling dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process compared to a typical drug rehab program, and people with a dual diagnosis may need to participate in a substantial aftercare program which might include proper medical support and also further rehab services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the individual will need to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and actually many people who have a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are employed.