Individuals who want to maintain some flexibility in their lives can take advantage of an outpatient rehab whenever they need rehabilitation for drug or alcohol abuse. Outpatient rehab enables the treatment client to take part in rehabilitation services with the same commitment you might usually have to consent to within an inpatient or residential alcohol and drug treatment program. This doesn't always work in the rehab client's favor however, particularly for those clients who need to solve substantial drug abuse issues. So although an outpatient rehab may seem like an expedient possibility, it isn't for everybody. People that do choose an outpatient rehab will typically attend meetings and take part in counseling and rehab services part-time daily or several days per week. This can be very helpful for many who have just completed a far more extensive inpatient or residential program as a good aftercare or upkeep step, and for someone with just a short history of drug abuse which is really a very small number of clients. For someone with more severe addiction and dependency problems, inpatient or residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs which provide rehab over a long-term basis are going to be the more advantageous rehabilitation alternative.