Dual diagnosis can be a situation in which two independent disorders are present, and most often denotes a co-occurring drug or alcohol use and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis can help an individual who might not have been able to be helped during the past, stop substance abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder may have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which could have triggered and resulted in their substance abuse issues. Establishing the reality that someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an effective treatment plan for them, but could also help clients better understand what triggered their drug abuse and the way to prevent it in the future. Addressing dual diagnosis can 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 can include appropriate medical support as well as further treatment services. Being identified as having co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual should be medicated through out their lives either, and actually many individuals who have a dual diagnosis experience much better outcomes when treated holistically and when alternative treatment methods are utilized.