Individuals who wish to maintain a lot of flexibility within their lives can engage in an outpatient rehab when they need rehab for substance abuse. Outpatient rehab will allow for the rehabilitation client to participate in rehabilitation services with the same commitment you might normally have to agree to in an inpatient or residential drug treatment center. This doesn't often work in the rehabilitation client's favor however, particularly for those clients who need to resolve substantial drug abuse issues. So while an outpatient rehab might appear to be an expedient possibility, it isn't for everybody. People who decide on an outpatient rehab will typically take part in meetings and be a part of counseling and rehab services part-time on a daily basis or several days weekly. This is often helpful for many who have recently completed a far more comprehensive inpatient or residential program as an effective aftercare or maintenance step, and for someone with only a short history of drug abuse which is usually a very small number of clients. For somebody with more significant drug abuse and dependency issues, inpatient or residential drug rehab programs which provide rehab over a long-term basis are going to be the more effective rehabilitation alternative.