Individuals who would like to maintain a certain amount of flexibility in their lives can engage in an outpatient rehab whenever they need treatment for drug or alcohol abuse. Outpatient rehab allows for the rehab client to take part in rehab services with the same commitment one would ordinarily have to agree to in an inpatient or residential drug treatment facility. This doesn't always work in the treatment client's favor however, specifically those clients who need to solve substantial drug abuse issues. So even though an outpatient rehab may seem like a convenient option, it isn't for everybody. People who decide on an outpatient rehab will typically attend meetings and be a part of therapy and treatment services part-time each day or a few days weekly. This can be very helpful for individuals who have recently completed a much more comprehensive inpatient or residential program as a good aftercare or maintenance step, or someone with just a brief history of drug use which is usually a really small number of clients. For a person with more significant drug abuse and dependency issues, inpatient or residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation facilities which offer treatment on a long-term basis will probably be the more effective treatment alternative.