Individuals who wish to maintain a certain amount of flexibility in their lives can take advantage of an outpatient rehab if they need rehabilitation for substance abuse. Outpatient rehab enables the treatment client to participate in rehab services with the same commitment you might ordinarily have to agree to within an inpatient or residential drug rehabilitation facility. This doesn't often work in the rehabilitation client's favor however, particularly for those clients who need to resolve significant substance abuse issues. So although an outpatient rehab might appear to be an expedient option, it isn't for everyone. People who decide on an outpatient rehab will usually show up at meetings and be a part of counseling and treatment services part-time on a daily basis or several days weekly. This is very helpful for individuals who have recently completed a more comprehensive inpatient or residential program as an effective aftercare or maintenance step, and someone with just a short history of drug abuse which is usually a very small amount of clients. For someone with more significant drug abuse and dependency issues, inpatient or residential drug rehabilitation facilities that provide treatment on a long-term basis are going to be the more effective treatment choice.