EricsHouse was founded in 2017 to offer hope and healing to those who are coping with suicide or addiction loss. I lost my own son, Eric James, on February 27, 2016. He was a victim of the opioid crisis which led him to the fatal decision to end his life by suicide. My mission and the mission of this organization is to provide healing support, education, and resources to people living in the aftermath of a suicide or death from addiction. EricsHouse offers a community forum, variety of resources and useful tools to help transform grief so that a sense of well-being and purpose can be restored to the lives of survivors.
In 2015, there were approximately 44,200 deaths in the U.S. due to suicide; which means that every 12 minutes someone lost their life by their own hand. According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 600,000 U.S. citizens died by suicide from 1999 to 2015, which is 28 percent increase. Suicide and opioid addition can overlap with other problems, including chronic pain, other addictions, mental disorders, and disruptions in social support. Whether opioid overdose is unintentional or intentional, since the year 2000, more than 300,000 people in the U.S. have died due to prescription drugs and illicit opioids.
My son, Eric James, struggled with addiction. He had many months of sobriety, but on December 31, 2015 he relapsed. The shame and disappointment he carried in his heart created a moment that led to him leave this earth at the young age of 27. His death and my grief prompted me to want to reach out to other survivors in the aftermath of suicide or death to opioid addiction — to offer support, comfort, and healing. My hope is that EricsHouse provides this and more to those who have lost loved ones.
Our website covers a diverse set of topics and approaches in the hope that each of you can find your own way to heal. Though difficult and sometimes painful, it is possible to integrate traumatic loss into your life in a positive way. Those of us left behind in aftermath of suicide are forever changed. We will never stop missing our loved ones, but we carry on and can live joyful and fulfilling lives. We invite you to memorialize your loved one, share your stories, and take full advantage of the resources we have made available so that you can heal as gracefully and fully as possible.
With Blessings and Love,
Marianne Gouveia