Individuals who want to maintain a lot of flexibility within their lives can take advantage of an outpatient rehab whenever they need rehab for drug or alcohol abuse. Outpatient rehab enables the rehabilitation client to take part in treatment services with the same commitment you might usually have to agree to in an inpatient or residential drug rehabilitation program. This doesn't often work in the rehabilitation client's favor however, specifically those clients who need to solve significant drug abuse problems. So although an outpatient rehab might appear to be an expedient possibility, it isn't for everybody. People who do choose an outpatient rehab will generally attend meetings and be a part of therapy and treatment services part-time on a daily basis or several days per week. This is often helpful for individuals who have just completed a much more thorough inpatient or residential program as an effective aftercare or maintenance step, or for someone with just a short history of substance abuse which is usually a very small amount of clients. For an individual with more serious drug abuse and dependency problems, inpatient or residential drug treatment centers which provide treatment over a long-term basis will be the more effective rehabilitation option.