Individuals who wish to maintain a certain amount of flexibility in their lives can take advantage of an outpatient rehab should they need rehabilitation for drug or alcohol abuse. Outpatient rehab enables the rehabilitation client to participate in rehabilitation services without the commitment one would normally have to agree to within an inpatient or residential alcohol and drug treatment center. This doesn't always work in the rehab client's favor however, specifically those individuals who need to resolve significant substance abuse issues. So even though an outpatient rehab may seem like a convenient possibility, it isn't for everyone. People that do choose an outpatient rehab will typically attend meetings and take part in therapy and treatment services on a part-time basis every day or several days weekly. This is helpful for many who have just completed a more comprehensive inpatient or residential program as a good aftercare or maintenance step, and for someone with just a short history of drug abuse which is usually a really small percentage of clients. For somebody with more severe drug abuse and dependency problems, inpatient or residential drug treatment programs that provide rehabilitation over a long-term basis are going to be the more advantageous treatment choice.