Individuals who want to maintain a certain amount of flexibility within their lives can engage in an outpatient rehab whenever they need rehab for drug or alcohol abuse. Outpatient rehab enables the rehabilitation client to participate in treatment services with the same commitment you might normally have to consent to within an inpatient or residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. This doesn't always work in the treatment client's favor however, particularly for those clients who need to solve significant drug abuse issues. So even though an outpatient rehab may seem like an expedient option, it isn't for everybody. Those that do choose an outpatient rehab will ordinarily show up at meetings and be a part of therapy and rehabilitation services part-time on a daily basis or a few days each week. This is often helpful for individuals who have just completed a far more comprehensive inpatient or residential program as an effective aftercare or upkeep step, and someone with only a short history of drug abuse which is really a very small number of clients. For someone with more significant drug abuse and dependency problems, inpatient or residential alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers that provide rehab over a long-term basis are going to be the more advantageous rehabilitation option.