Dual diagnosis is a situation whereby two independent disorders exist, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help someone who may not have been able to be helped during the past, finish drug or alcohol abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder could have been misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or treated incorrectly which may have prompted and led to their drug or alcohol use problems. Establishing the fact that someone is certainly a dual diagnosis client not merely helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what triggered their drug abuse and ways to prevent it later on. Addressing dual diagnosis may be a more extensive process than a typical drug rehab program, and people who have a dual diagnosis may need to take part in an extensive aftercare program which might include appropriate medical support in addition to further rehab services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply the person will have to be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience far better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative therapy is employed.