There is no doubt that, for many addicts, facing their addictions head-on at a rehabilitation facility can be a difficult process. But what loved ones often do not plan for — are the even more difficult days following an addict’s time at a recovery center. The truth is, the first few weeks after rehab can be even worse worse for the struggling addict. They leave the facility facing shattered relationships, uncertain futures, and many times unemployment or even no place to call home. What’s worse — they face these terrifying issues with less support than they had at the facility.

The first few weeks after treatment are critical to preventing a relapse– and there are several things an addict can do to reduce the likelihood of relapse.

Get a sponsor. You could join Alcoholics Anonymous or another twelve-step group or ask a trusted friend..

The impact of addiction is felt well beyond the person struggling with the disease. Family, friends, co-workers, and even neighbors can be impacted by the many problems addiction brings.

Lies, violence, legal troubles and more bring hardships to those around you — and many times those with loved ones abusing drugs or alcohol suffer a wide range of emotions. Feelings of guilt, anger and everything in between can be especially difficult for those closest to you — such as parents, siblings, spouse or partner, and most of all, children. One family member addicted to alcohol and drugs means the whole family suffers.

Former first daughter Susan Ford Bales, daughter of former first lady and well-known addiction recovery advocate Betty Ford, knows all too well the impact addiction can have on the family.

“I was the one who got the family together to do an intervention [for my mother],” she explained in an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Am I running away from, or running towards something?

Addicts and alcoholics are natural escape artists. Every drink, every hit we took, was to escape. We wanted to escape the pain, the emotions, the feelings, the husband, the wife, the kids, the job. We lived to use and use to live. Now we’re confronted with reality, what we’re left with once we come to recovery and stay clean and sober. We have to face life on life’s terms. What do we do? We can either face it head on by working the steps or turn and run. If we run, are we running away from something or towards something?

How do we know the difference?

Wherever we go, we take the disease with us. We are used to running from things like responsibility, the law, the ex, reality. We rarely run towards anything, we run from things.

We Only Have to Change One Thing

When we come to recovery for the first time, we’re told we only have to change one thing: Everything! But just like it says in the Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text, How It Works, “This sounds like a big order and we can’t do it all at once, we didn’t become addicted in one day, so remember, easy does it.” And we say, “But do it!” We’re told, the person we are today will use again, so change must happen in order for us to stay clean and sober.

Look where we’ve ended up! We are at meeting instead of a bar on a Friday night. Whoever would have thought this would happen? It is time to put away our old ways of thinking and doing and try something different, otherwise we are guaranteed more pain, suffering and misery.