Individuals who want to maintain a certain amount of flexibility within their lives can engage in an outpatient rehab should they need rehabilitation for drug or alcohol abuse. Outpatient rehab makes it possible for the rehabilitation client to take part in treatment services with the same commitment you might usually have to agree to in an inpatient or residential drug treatment facility. This doesn't often work in the rehab client's favor however, particularly for those clients who need to address significant substance abuse problems. So even though an outpatient rehab might appear to be an opportune possibility, it isn't for everyone. People that decide on an outpatient rehab will generally attend meetings and take part in therapy and rehabilitation services part-time each day or several days a week. This is often helpful for individuals who have recently completed an even more thorough inpatient or residential program as a good aftercare or upkeep step, or for someone with only a brief history of substance abuse which is really a really small number of clients. For somebody with more serious drug abuse and dependency problems, inpatient or residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs which offer rehab over a long-term basis are going to be the more effective rehabilitation alternative.