Individuals who wish to maintain some flexibility within their lives can take advantage of an outpatient rehab when they need rehabilitation for drug or alcohol abuse. Outpatient rehab enables the rehabilitation client to participate in rehabilitation services with the same commitment you might usually have to consent to within an inpatient or residential drug rehab facility. This doesn't always work in the rehab client's favor however, specifically those individuals who need to solve substantial substance abuse issues. So although an outpatient rehab may seem like an expedient possibility, it isn't for everybody. People who do decide on an outpatient rehab will ordinarily show up at meetings and be a part of counseling and treatment services part-time every day or a few days weekly. This is often helpful for individuals who have just completed a more comprehensive inpatient or residential program as a good aftercare or maintenance step, and someone with only a short history of substance abuse which is really a really small percentage of clients. For somebody with more serious addiction and dependency issues, inpatient or residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs that provide treatment on a long-term basis are going to be the more effective rehabilitation alternative.