Dual diagnosis is a situation in which two independent disorders exist, and most typically denotes a co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorder. A dual diagnosis might help a person that might not have been able to be helped during the past, finish drug abuse because they can be correctly diagnosed and treated. Their mental health disorder might have been misdiagnosed, not diagnosed at all, or mistreated which may have prompted and resulted in their drug abuse problems. Establishing the fact someone is in fact a dual diagnosis client not only helps establish an efficient treatment course for them, but may also help clients better know what led to their drug abuse and how to prevent it in the foreseeable future. Addressing dual diagnosis might be a more extensive process than the usual typical drug rehab program, and individuals who have a dual diagnosis may need to participate in an extensive aftercare program which can include appropriate medical support in addition to further treatment services. Being clinically determined to have co-occurring disorders doesn't imply that the individual must be medicated for the rest of their lives either, and in fact many individuals with a dual diagnosis experience much better results when treated holistically and when alternative treatment solutions are utilized.