Individuals who wish to maintain a certain amount of 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 treatment services with the same commitment one would ordinarily have to consent to in an inpatient or residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation program. This doesn't often work in the rehab client's favor however, particularly for those clients who need to address significant drug abuse problems. So while an outpatient rehab may seem like a convenient option, it isn't for everybody. People that do choose an outpatient rehab will generally show up at meetings and take part in counseling and rehab services part-time every day or a few days each week. This is often helpful for individuals who have recently completed an even more extensive inpatient or residential program as an effective aftercare or maintenance step, or someone with only a brief history of drug abuse which is usually a really small number of clients. For someone with more severe addiction and dependency issues, inpatient or residential drug rehabilitation facilities which provide rehabilitation on a long-term basis will probably be the more beneficial treatment option.