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