Individuals who wish to maintain a lot of flexibility in their lives can engage in an outpatient rehab if they need rehabilitation for drug or alcohol abuse. Outpatient rehab allows for the rehab client to take part in rehab services without the commitment you might ordinarily have to consent to in an inpatient or residential drug rehab center. This doesn't always work in the treatment client's favor however, particularly for those individuals who need to solve substantial substance abuse issues. So while an outpatient rehab may seem like a convenient option, it isn't for everyone. People who decide on an outpatient rehab will usually show up at meetings and take part in counseling and treatment services part-time each day or a few days per week. This can be very helpful for many who have recently completed a much more complete inpatient or residential program as an effective aftercare or maintenance step, or for someone with only a brief history of substance abuse which is usually a very small number of clients. For somebody with more significant addiction and dependency problems, inpatient or residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs that provide treatment over a long-term basis will probably be the more advantageous rehab choice.