As the July 4 holiday approaches, hundreds of thousands of Americans will soon come together to celebrate with loved ones, reflect on their national identity and foster a sense of pride among fellow U.S. citizens.
But for Scottsdale resident Eric Beer, Independence Day has taken on an entirely new meaning as he prepares to celebrate seven years of sobriety on July 4.
As director of 33 Degrees Recovery Coaching at the Scottsdale Recovery Center, Beer openly shares his recovery journey, hoping to provide his clients a sustainable path to sobriety by emphasizing long-term recovery needs.
Beer’s comprehensive approach to recovery involves supporting clients in the transition to a sober lifestyle through ongoing mentoring, economic stability, education and social connection.
From mental ward to mentorship
Seven years ago, Beer considered himself to be a “What-all addict.”
“What that means is I’d do whatever you have and I’d do all of it,” Beer said.
Alcohol, opioids, speed, meth, cocaine, whatever Beer could get his hands on he did. Ironically, Beer also worked in the liquor business and now jokes with clients that he used to sell alcohol and now he sells recovery.
Spending time in treatment centers and mental wards, Beer, now 54, says his disease took away his family, his job and his integrity. He tried numerous times to stop but the challenge was “staying stopped.”
“Addicts and alcoholics, most of them go back out and relapse within the first 30 days of leaving a treatment center of some kind,” Beer said. “Suddenly, they’re thrown back into the real world and that’s too much for people like me who didn’t have enough connections.”
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 40% to 60% of people who are treated for substance use disorders relapse.
At the lowest point in his journey, Beer says he was given the gift of desperation; A moment when, seven years ago on Independence Day, Beer finally realized that recovery is not a race, it’s a long, arduous journey alongside millions of other people like him.
Beer eventually obtained his recovery coach certification and began a partnership with Scottsdale Recovery Center to mend what he found to be a gaping hole in the recovery journey.
What is 33 Degrees?
At 33 Degrees, Beer and his team of peer support specialists meet with clients in small groups three days a week outside of their normal treatment plan to discuss the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) like the importance of finding safe housing, maintaining social connections and gaining access to healthcare, transportation, nutritious foods and physical health opportunities.
Beer has been working with clients in recovery for nearly two years, particularly those who have established 45 days of continuous sobriety.
The inspiration for 33 Degrees came from James Clear’s 2018 international bestseller, Atomic Habits, which has been highly influential in Beer’s life. In it, Clear describes the concept of the “Plateau of Latent Potential” through the example of an ice cube that does not visibly begin to change shape until it reaches 33 degrees Fahrenheit.
Beer says the path to recovery is similar; despite significant effort, progress does not show up without patience, self-discipline and consistency.
“My goal with 33 Degrees is to help people create a life for themselves that they no longer want to escape from,” Beer said.
Approximately 85% of his 80 clients have maintained sobriety with an average of seven months of sobriety. Many clients return to help mentor current clients in recovery.
As a self-proclaimed recovery philosopher, Beer says that while his journey has been difficult, he believes his time in darkness has allowed him to become a light for others.
“Generally speaking, we’ve done the same thing for a very long time as far as how to treat substance use disorders,” Beer said. “That’s why so many of us go back out there because we don’t have a solid foundation. We don’t have what we need when we leave treatment. That’s really where 33 Degrees comes into play.”
On Independence Day, Beer says he plans to celebrate his freedom from addiction by hiking in Northern Arizona with the two most important people in his life; his son Issac and daughter Addison. He also plans to attend a 12-step meeting with close friends in recovery to pick up his seven-year chip “to show others that we do recover and that there is an easier, softer way.”
For more information about Scottsdale Recovery Center and to read reviews from clients of 33 Degrees, visit scottsdalerecovery.com/reviews/.
We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Cyrus Guccione can be reached at cguccione@iniusa.org.
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