Individuals who would like to maintain a lot of flexibility in their lives can take advantage of an outpatient rehab when they need rehabilitation for substance abuse. Outpatient rehab enables the rehabilitation client to take part in treatment services without the commitment you might ordinarily have to consent to in an inpatient or residential drug rehab facility. This doesn't always work in the rehab client's favor however, particularly for those individuals who need to resolve significant drug abuse issues. So while an outpatient rehab may seem like an expedient possibility, it isn't for everyone. People that do choose an outpatient rehab will usually show up at meetings and take part in counseling and treatment services part-time on a daily basis or a few days a week. This is often helpful for many who have recently completed a far more thorough inpatient or residential program as a good aftercare or maintenance step, or for someone with just a short history of drug abuse which is really a really small number of clients. For someone with more severe drug abuse and dependency problems, inpatient or residential drug rehabilitation centers which provide rehab on a long-term basis will probably be the more advantageous treatment alternative.