Fuck Squarespace. That, Nord VPN, Brightsellers, Magic Spoon and a list of other garbage I will never have interest in. Just about everything pitched on YT is overpriced anyway.
I've seen many videos about Jukai. This is the first one that described the natural wonders of the forest itself. Also the first video that talked about the history and background about the forest. Arnaldo, you did a fantastic job with the script. No sensationalism. No salaciousness. You stuck to the facts. Also you showed great respect towards those who chose Jukai as their final destination.
@@SEAZNDragon Hi, Arnaldo here, author for this video’s script. Geographics and Into the Shadows are two separate channels, with different teams behind them (except Simon of course). This episode, and the one of the same topic for the other channel, were developed independently from each other. If they came out at the same time it was just a case of chance scheduling. I had started working on this about one year ago, but kept procrastinating as it was a difficult piece to write. Eventually, I found the right words this summer, and the team produced it shortly afterwards. Had I been able to complete it earlier, there would not have been this coincidence. Which is just that, a coincidence! Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed both videos, it is interesting to approach the same topic from different angles.
@@arnaldoteodorani277 Thanks for your reply. I should have considered that given how widespread the writers are and given the details how long the research process must be.
Simon's channels are good for facts, its one of the reasons why I subbed way back, I think I am subbed to all of them but the pod cast one, mainly because pod casts are long and I have a hard time stay still for so long, I have ADHD so its just not something I can really do, but I have been with Simon for a long time, I have not ever seen him be disrespectful to anyone, some times he swears but its often at or about dumb stuff or people that are complete garbage. He is very empathic when it comes to sensitive things like this videos topic though, and I like that about his channels, because its not that social drama like on channels that just care about views and want reactions, I think he likes narrating, and he has tones of them to work on I some times wonder if he's not a deep fake or something, does he sleep, like really its nuts how many channels he has, I give him props! Also Simon if your reading nice video, very well presented like always, keep up the great work, you inspire me to work on my own channel
As someone who has depression and had attempted suicide the ending of this video was well done Simon. The line about the silence left behind by the tree that fell brought me to tears.
It gets better if you work it. I know because I worked it. But cheap catch phrases on twitter and mental health groups on Reddit isn't the way to go. You need someone to confide in. Someone who'll take what you say to the grave. And that someone needs to ask "If your friend said that, what would you tell them?" a whole heck of a lot of times....
If voluntary euthanization clinics were as common as McDonald's and free to use there'd be no need for suicide forests (or biohazard cleanup crews). 8B people is too many anyway, suicide/voluntary euthanization should be promoted rather than prevented. If only "self-euthanasia kits" could be bought cheap on Amazon or eBay, that would help until those clinics are built.
My brother committed suicide a few months ago. And a close friend did a few years ago. This video hit home and made me cry. But I do have to say thank you for your respect and the fact that you brought awareness to such a difficult subject.
I'm so sorry you had to live through that not once but twice. My cousin was 18 when, in 2008, he lost his battle to suicide also. I live a thousand miles away from him but we were pretty close for pre-Facebook days (AIM worked great!) and it hit so hard. I can't even imagine what it would feel like to lose two people so extremely close to you. I hope you have the support system you need. ❤️
I've lost track of the number of friends who are gone for various reasons. This video has me thinking of 2 in particular. Thank you very much for the care taken in the writing and delivery.☮️
As someone who frequently has to fight with depression, Simon, and his writer’s, consideration of the triggers that this video may bring to viewers is greatly appreciated. The fact that Simon provide 3 major suicide hotlines and listed more in the description is a kindness that many forget.
I recently lost a close friend to suicide. Simon, the end of this video brought me to tears. Thank you, and your writers, for having such respect for mental health, and expressing it in such a poetic manner.
I've lost a few that way. It's the hardest kind of passing to process, in my experience. I hope that you, along with the rest of those whom your friend left behind, can find peace in the aftermath.
@@julm7744 that's true, but the sentiment is counterproductive, when dealing with this specific kind of loss. That type of thinking can disrupt the healing process, and I personally think it contributes to the seeming contagious nature of suicide.
@@julm7744 again, what you are saying is correct, except for cases of suicide. Also, the process of grieving suicide has been extensively studied, and is well understood within the mental health field, so this isn't projecting one person's feelings and experience onto other people. Most people who decide to commit suicide do so in instances of extreme, negative emotions. The exception is when a chronic illness drives a person to it; this is starting to become less stigmatized, as society embraces the concept of "death with dignity." Additionally, unlike any other manner of death, the loved ones of the deceased tend to deal with a lot of guilt, because suicide is something that intervention can prevent. Losing a loved one to suicide leaves people with a lot of questions that they have no way to find answers to, like why they didn't see the signs, what they could have done differently to change the outcome, and if they were part of the reason that the person decided to take their own life. Grieving suicide is fundamentally different from grieving any other type of loss, specifically of the guilt that those left behind have to deal with. This is why saying things like "the dead are at peace," and "only the living suffer" is counterproductive to the healing process. People are vulnerable, because they're dealing with extreme, negative emotions, and saying stuff like that can look like pointing out a way out of the negative experience.
I haven’t lost anyone too close to suicide other than a close coworker. Didn’t even know there was anything wrong. Just a young guy with a wife and young kids. Sometimes I just wish I knew and I could have been a sounding board. I lost my dad to a heart attack and my mom to breast cancer and both were young, but there is nothing quite like grieving through a suicide. It’s terrible.
I give my respects to your mum. It may have been 20 years ago, but for us, it's still fresh as the day that it happened. My mum passed in 2017. I still feel it at times. May they rest in peace, love and power, despite how they passed. 🤍
When I was stationed in Japan, there is a famous spa/water park about 10 miles away that American military would go to. Most locals just stay away from the forest, it is by Mt. Fuji. No lie, the Japanese are stressed, the job is their identity.
Yes and no. There are tourist attractions in the forest. Lots of caves you can go to, a bus service and a gift shop. It's an interesting place. I saw quite a few people walking around there when I visited.
The infectiousness of a suicide is called the “Werther Effect,” after Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther.” In the novel, the heartbroken main character kills himself by jumping in a river. The book caused a sensation, where people would dress as the main character, throwing themselves off the same bridge into the river to their deaths. After the suicides of prominent people or celebrities, there is often a bump in suicides with the general public (aka the Werther Effect)
maybe this is what happened in Bridgend a few years ago, a spate of young/teenage men and women all took their lives in a relatively short time frame, don't know the whole details so don't wish to offend anyone by getting them wrong
@@theunknownstuntman4010 I don’t know anything about that particular instance happening, but it indeed sounds exactly like it. It has happened repeatedly over the centuries. Goethe is from the late 1700’s to early 1800’s. It happens nearly every time a celebrity kills themself, like Marilyn Monroe or Robin Williams. I actually read an article on this in the mid-80s, & ordered that book from my college bookstore, just to see what triggered so many people. It’s an okay book, but it clearly struck a romantic nerve.
Sounds very similar to something that happened in school when I was in year 7/year 8. 3 girls between the ages of 13 and 17 committed suicide within less than a year of each other. They were in completely different year groups with no connections to each other, except going to the same school.
@@nomousecat I remember when I was in college, the city’s newspaper didn’t overly publicize the suicides of the college students, for fear of it starting a trend among the other students. If mentioned, the stories were buried in the paper, in the police beat section, or something similar, with very little information offered. The university paper NEVER mentioned the suicides. Suicides often happened around finals & grades. Their Architecture School in particular had many rumors of its death toll over the years, but you could never find the info in print. - I actually remember one suicide that got a little more press than others, because he was a Russian exchange student (with green hair) who jumped off the back of the stadium one night. I had seen him at the clubs the week previously, drunk on the dance floor, & getting up on one of the speakers. He had green hair. And he definitely looked Russian. It’s haunted me all of these years later. He looked lonely, and drunk. But not like he was at the end of his rope. 😞
Brandon, you are loved. There's NOTHING more beautiful then life as much as it must suck sometimes I always I think of it worse and I know I'm not in your mind, but i too have had horrible thoughtd I couldn't imagine leaving my kids, and family behind it will literally cause my 82 yr old grandmother to give up. Know You are loved and are NOT alone ♥️ from Tennessee
Thank you Simon. As someone who has always thought that I was enough to fight against my demons, who thought that burdening others with "my" problems was wrong despite them helping me wether they knew it or not, I would like to thank you personally for your words about the silence left behind after the tree falls for they meant more to me than every variation thereof that I have heard over the years.
Simon, I have to commend you on the empathy and respect you showed toward the tragedy of suicide. Your ending monologue was well spoken and very compassionate. Thank you, my friend.
A beautiful touching script. You preserved the honor of those who visited this place and never left. This is a very respectful piece. I love your scripts.
I loved the quote "other animals or plants who either directly or indirectly cared for that tree, will most definitely be affected by the silence that the tree left behind" how powerful! As so one who struggles with suicidal ideation as it runs in my family, on my mother side. My mother and her father both gone to soon from selfish acts. I will remember this quote and may even get a tattoo resembling this quote so I will be reminded that I am a tree still standing and not alone, but with other trees, still growing and learning. Still full of life and love to pass on to others. No matter what my life looks like on the outside or the inside, today I go to bed knowing I made it through another day and will wake up tomorrow ready for whatever the forest has in store for me.
This was surprisingly sensitively written, respectfully delivered. Really really good job guys. I have to admit to cringing at the idea of the video, but am glad I watched. Thank you.
Possibly the most respectful approach to this subject that I've seen so far, Simon. And believe me, I've read and watched many takes on this forest and the associated attraction by those who have lost the will to live. A credit to your writers and editors.
The fact that Jukai is away from everything and you could get lost in there adds to it being the chosen final destination of so many, as you mentioned late in the video, but I think you missed a reason behind it, as speaking from experience, even when you do seek mental health support and you are on the verge of ending it, the mental health practitioner always asked "are you able to keep yourself *and others* safe?", my response to that was always myself, probably not, but others yes, as it's not their problem and shouldn't have to suffer, I'd always make sure that, if I was going to attempt suicide again, I'd find a quiet place away from everyone and everything so I didn't bother anyone with my problems.
When you visit the forest, the silence just settles on you. When you visit the caves and get to the trail head, there is an old yellow VW beetle in the parking lot that was obviously left behind after someone entered the forest. It's got the suicide hotline number on it and some other notes on it, iirc.
I don't want to kill myself, I have a wonderful partner that loves me and I couldn't possibly hurt. But goddamn I don't want to feel this way, wake up, or fight just to keep my head above water anymore.
I've struggled with suicidal ideation for as long as I can remember. The ending words nearly brought me to tears. Thank you Simon. Your team and you have done it again whistleboy!
So tragic. I've lost a few friends through suicide. It's not really the sadness that hurts, it's the disappointment of not being asked for help. But then again, I've had times when I'm close to giving up, and you feel too alone to ask. Fantastic work as always Simon and crew.
While it is important to discuss these serious topics around aokigahara's modern reputation, and I thank you for tackling the subject with respect as always, it is nice to finally hear somebody cover other things about the sea of trees, especially the wind cave and ice caverns. These aspects of the area are almost always ignored or not talked about in much detail. Legend 👌
Well done, thank you. My dad committed suicide 11 years ago. Two other cousins also killed themselves. Mom tried twice when she was younger. Aunt also tried. And then there’s me. Cutter at 14, tried a few weak attempts to kill myself. 30 years of on and off therapy did nothing. I still think of suicide every day. I have tried even when I was 40. It is extremely hard when you are fighting both bipolar and GAD. Thank you for this. From what I remember, the elderly were brought to the forest by their families because there wasn’t enough food for all.
I think many of us had to face our inner monsters when we had to quarantine during the pandemic. I'm not sure who wrote this but the line, 'Nothing is more dangerous than a person alone with their thoughts' really fits.
Growing up with a suicidal mother was so hard and it left me with a constant feeling of anxiety and fear. I remember thinking that if I didn't say I love you to her at night then she would do it. Now as a middle aged woman who suffers from Major Depressive Disorder and PTSD I have wrestled with my own feelings of just giving up but I am quickly brought back to the feelings I had with my mom and I remind myself that it's not the right way out. We're all here for a reason and I don't ever want to give up on myself because life goes by so fast already. So I keep moving on and I feel like I'm finally at peace. I don't want to see anyone give up. Live your life because you're the only you and you are needed even if you may not know it.
Beautifully written & delivered. This topic is never easy but you have done it justice while giving it the solemn respect it deserves. Well done team 👏
Thank you so very much for this video, Simon. I have been working in mental health for nearly a decade and have been diagnosed for far longer, and I just really want to thank you for bring awareness to this severe issue.
There are 4 reasons that I'd like to visit Japan. Aokigahara is one of them. In the past I've felt like self termination myself, and my choice of location was based more on the practicality of my chosen method, but I'd love to visit a place that is considered so beautiful that so many people choose it for their last moments. I'd also love to do Mt. Fuji for the typical tourist sunrise, and also visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
I missed the last bus when I visited and got a lift back to the station from a man who worked in the giftshop. He was lovely. There is a bird that screams like a woman, in the silence of the forest it's jarring and a bit disconcerting. It is beautiful though.
Oof, the survivors talking about wanting to not bother someone with their suicides. Hit a little close to home there with my own struggles. I’ve found my ways to resist and fight my inner demons, and I hope more can do so, wherever they are in the world.
Thank you Simon and Co. Making this a more talked about subject helps a lot. I wish being helpful was the new pandemic. I've lost friends too soon because of the pain they felt. Life is so precious it hurts every time to hear someone's gone this route. Wondering at the whatever it might of took to keep them around, many of their friends and family are always shocked and I wish it was easier to make that better known by those that suffer... No doubt things can get super dark and yet. I believe, lots of people care, we often overlook those moments and focus on the negative. Some may care yet have no capacity, and others the capacity but no means, you can find that nexus and find help. I don't know what that looks like for you but it is out there. It helps me to think of suicide as a permanent solution to a temporary problem, I hope that this silly message under a truly important and great video helps someone.
I've had suicidal ideations as long as I can remember. I've had multiple psychologists and psychiatrists. I've been on and off meds. I still wanna do it. I know some day I WILL do it. I've read comments saying that the final message move them. I've felt nothing. I feel disconnected from everything. Im not even sad anymore. Im empty.
"Make sure you've grabbed one end of the thread" Such beautiful writing, the sensitivity and caution in this video. perfectly delivered. And "that's popularity itself" "If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it does it make a sound? Yes it does!!" The delivery is perfect. Great work Simon, from Nairobi, Kenya
Jeez, this makes the one I wrote for Into the Shadows look like chump change! Sadness! Just kidding (ish lol), honestly a great video. I could have done better, really wish I did. But regardless, message is the same: Suicide is never the answer. There’s always the chance things will get better, and more often then not there are those who love you and who will miss you. Please talk to someone, please don’t let the darkness win. We’re all here for you, the world won’t be the same without you!
Please don't dunk on yourself Matt - Simon has a fairly high standard for writers on most of his channels, and yours was published and did the subject justice. Hoping to see your name come up with future videos.
One thing Simon didn't mention is that some of the strings and tape lead to victims in the forest. These people usually go way off the trail.. beyond the gate and camp as they contemplate their life. They use the strings to guide them back out if they decide they want to live.
As hard as it was to watch due to subject matter, that may be the best video you have ever done. That was a great video and the way you eneded it gave respect to bothe the dead, and the living.
Simon, Thank you for doing this. The message at the end hit close to home. Years ago, I almost was a fallen tree as well (way better place these days), these days I'm aware of the signs in others around me, and do what I can to help. You are right about the monsters inside of all of us, but there is always help out there, I learnt that the hard way. Thank you for what you have done with this video. Mad respect for you.
I've been dealing with ideation since 2011, I feel like part of the problem is that the issues that get people down aren't going away. At least thats how it is with me. We live on this earth and we're destroying it, we're so mean to each other, and every day it gets harder to see how I'm going to be able to afford to live. It's not good for anyone.
I was extremely and scarily close to committing suicide in June 2019. Since then I've taken some massive steps in improving my mental health, I've had lots of ups and downs a long the way and have never come that close since. I never want to be there again, I felt so alone, so helpless, so pathetic, so pointless. If ever I feel like that now, I ask myself why I feel like that and 8/10 times, there's a reason that I can fix, the other 2/10 I put that down to the illness I still suffer from that for some reason wants me off this planet. But I am not about to let it. When I watch videos like this, I can sometimes put myself in that person's shoes so to speak and it no longer makes me feel uncomfortable, I just wish that for the people that enter that forest, something makes them change their mind, but at the same time. I really do understand why people do it, sometimes there is no turning back until it's too late. I have watched so many videos on this channel and other channel's, I find it hard to keep track of your channels (lol), but each video you do is so engaging, well written and well spoke. Thank you Simon :)
Thank you, Simon. This was very well written, congratulations to the writer. You delivered the content with an informative quiet respect. Having lived with suicidal depression for a long time (behind me now) I am very impressed with the message at the end. Thank you again.
That switch to the ad was catastrophic. From a book that led 3 people to kill themselves to this videos proud sponsor in a couple of seconds. Maybe do without a sponsor for delicate subjects such as this as to not look like a callous moneygrabber.
Pfft you think he does this shit for fun, or worse, at a loss? He still has writers and other staff to pay. No sponsor or Adsense = no video. It's not hard to simply hit the rigth arrow a few times (5 sec skip each) to skip the same stupid 5 sponsors on all his (and just about every one else's) videos. For the regular Adsense spots put there by Google just install Adblock, gets rid of all of them.
Thank you for doing this video. My boyfriends daughter committed suicide a few years ago and changed our lives forever. One of the best videos you have done, very thoughtful and respectful .
a great presentation, if some one viewing this and has those thoughts , sit and take a look at the forest , it doesn't matter how dense the canopy gets, the light will always pernitrate through, take a look at the ground, you will see new growth taking advantage of the little light available to them, this is what i discovered sitting on a slope in the egmont national park, in one of my deepest darkest moments, I'm saying this just to state you can always find light if you want to look , :)
Geographics and Vice Media have covered this forest with respect. For those out there struggling with depression, remember there's help out there. And the dark tunnel you're in will not last. Hang in there and be true.
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All I know is the quote "we are the Yuri" is pretty dope...
In all honesty great video man I loved it
Having a sponsored segment in this video is in rather bad taste isn't it?
mid roll ads in poor taste in general, but this was especially egregious
Y'all are close to 1 million subscribers.
Fuck Squarespace. That, Nord VPN, Brightsellers, Magic Spoon and a list of other garbage I will never have interest in. Just about everything pitched on YT is overpriced anyway.
I've seen many videos about Jukai. This is the first one that described the natural wonders of the forest itself. Also the first video that talked about the history and background about the forest.
Arnaldo, you did a fantastic job with the script. No sensationalism. No salaciousness. You stuck to the facts. Also you showed great respect towards those who chose Jukai as their final destination.
I suspect they decided to do a complement to the Into the Shadows video on the forest to go beyond its dark reputation.
@@SEAZNDragon Hi, Arnaldo here, author for this video’s script. Geographics and Into the Shadows are two separate channels, with different teams behind them (except Simon of course). This episode, and the one of the same topic for the other channel, were developed independently from each other. If they came out at the same time it was just a case of chance scheduling. I had started working on this about one year ago, but kept procrastinating as it was a difficult piece to write. Eventually, I found the right words this summer, and the team produced it shortly afterwards. Had I been able to complete it earlier, there would not have been this coincidence. Which is just that, a coincidence! Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed both videos, it is interesting to approach the same topic from different angles.
@@arnaldoteodorani277 Thanks for your reply. I should have considered that given how widespread the writers are and given the details how long the research process must be.
Simon's channels are good for facts, its one of the reasons why I subbed way back, I think I am subbed to all of them but the pod cast one, mainly because pod casts are long and I have a hard time stay still for so long, I have ADHD so its just not something I can really do, but I have been with Simon for a long time, I have not ever seen him be disrespectful to anyone, some times he swears but its often at or about dumb stuff or people that are complete garbage. He is very empathic when it comes to sensitive things like this videos topic though, and I like that about his channels, because its not that social drama like on channels that just care about views and want reactions, I think he likes narrating, and he has tones of them to work on I some times wonder if he's not a deep fake or something, does he sleep, like really its nuts how many channels he has, I give him props!
Also Simon if your reading nice video, very well presented like always, keep up the great work, you inspire me to work on my own channel
As someone who has depression and had attempted suicide the ending of this video was well done Simon. The line about the silence left behind by the tree that fell brought me to tears.
Glad you’re here with us and hope you are in a better place, keep going forward.
It gets better if you work it. I know because I worked it. But cheap catch phrases on twitter and mental health groups on Reddit isn't the way to go. You need someone to confide in. Someone who'll take what you say to the grave. And that someone needs to ask "If your friend said that, what would you tell them?" a whole heck of a lot of times....
R u okay? Wanna be friends?
There's a great video by Nat's what I reckon, where he reviews anxiety and depression. It's bloody brilliant.
You good partner?
Honestly Simon handles these kinda videos with so much respect it's really nice to see
If voluntary euthanization clinics were as common as McDonald's and free to use there'd be no need for suicide forests (or biohazard cleanup crews). 8B people is too many anyway, suicide/voluntary euthanization should be promoted rather than prevented. If only "self-euthanasia kits" could be bought cheap on Amazon or eBay, that would help until those clinics are built.
@@fvckyoutubescensorshipandt2718 Maybe we should fix our societies instead?
@@fvckyoutubescensorshipandt2718 what the fuck
Simon should stop being greedy and having 15 thousand channels.
Sorry, but the topic is covered better on my channel. Although it's difficult to compare. Different approaches.
My brother committed suicide a few months ago. And a close friend did a few years ago. This video hit home and made me cry. But I do have to say thank you for your respect and the fact that you brought awareness to such a difficult subject.
I'm very sorry. Sending you a big hug !
So sorry for your loss ♡
I'm so sorry you had to live through that not once but twice. My cousin was 18 when, in 2008, he lost his battle to suicide also. I live a thousand miles away from him but we were pretty close for pre-Facebook days (AIM worked great!) and it hit so hard. I can't even imagine what it would feel like to lose two people so extremely close to you. I hope you have the support system you need. ❤️
It takes true grit
1:20 - Chapter 1 - Silent labyrinth of trees
5:05 - Chapter 2 - Looking for the eternal silence
7:25 - Mid roll ads
9:10 - Chapter 3 - To forgo a precious gift
11:50 - Chapter 4 - Haunted minds
15:35 - Chapter 5 - A self fulfilling reputation
- Chapter 6 -
Thank you, bestie. ❤️ I always look for your comments to know the chapters.
I've lost track of the number of friends who are gone for various reasons. This video has me thinking of 2 in particular. Thank you very much for the care taken in the writing and delivery.☮️
As someone who frequently has to fight with depression, Simon, and his writer’s, consideration of the triggers that this video may bring to viewers is greatly appreciated. The fact that Simon provide 3 major suicide hotlines and listed more in the description is a kindness that many forget.
I recently lost a close friend to suicide. Simon, the end of this video brought me to tears. Thank you, and your writers, for having such respect for mental health, and expressing it in such a poetic manner.
I've lost a few that way. It's the hardest kind of passing to process, in my experience. I hope that you, along with the rest of those whom your friend left behind, can find peace in the aftermath.
@@julm7744 that's true, but the sentiment is counterproductive, when dealing with this specific kind of loss. That type of thinking can disrupt the healing process, and I personally think it contributes to the seeming contagious nature of suicide.
@@julm7744 again, what you are saying is correct, except for cases of suicide. Also, the process of grieving suicide has been extensively studied, and is well understood within the mental health field, so this isn't projecting one person's feelings and experience onto other people.
Most people who decide to commit suicide do so in instances of extreme, negative emotions. The exception is when a chronic illness drives a person to it; this is starting to become less stigmatized, as society embraces the concept of "death with dignity."
Additionally, unlike any other manner of death, the loved ones of the deceased tend to deal with a lot of guilt, because suicide is something that intervention can prevent. Losing a loved one to suicide leaves people with a lot of questions that they have no way to find answers to, like why they didn't see the signs, what they could have done differently to change the outcome, and if they were part of the reason that the person decided to take their own life. Grieving suicide is fundamentally different from grieving any other type of loss, specifically of the guilt that those left behind have to deal with.
This is why saying things like "the dead are at peace," and "only the living suffer" is counterproductive to the healing process. People are vulnerable, because they're dealing with extreme, negative emotions, and saying stuff like that can look like pointing out a way out of the negative experience.
Meh, gonna die sooner or later anyway. At least your friend got to pick his own time to die instead of letting the Grim Reaper sucker punch them.
I haven’t lost anyone too close to suicide other than a close coworker. Didn’t even know there was anything wrong. Just a young guy with a wife and young kids. Sometimes I just wish I knew and I could have been a sounding board.
I lost my dad to a heart attack and my mom to breast cancer and both were young, but there is nothing quite like grieving through a suicide. It’s terrible.
My mum took her own life 20 years ago. The damage suicide does to those left behind just can't be comprehended
I give my respects to your mum. It may have been 20 years ago, but for us, it's still fresh as the day that it happened. My mum passed in 2017. I still feel it at times. May they rest in peace, love and power, despite how they passed. 🤍
When I was stationed in Japan, there is a famous spa/water park about 10 miles away that American military would go to. Most locals just stay away from the forest, it is by Mt. Fuji. No lie, the Japanese are stressed, the job is their identity.
Yes and no. There are tourist attractions in the forest. Lots of caves you can go to, a bus service and a gift shop. It's an interesting place. I saw quite a few people walking around there when I visited.
@@TheDolphacehe said the locals. Not tourists
@@maggiemae7539 the locals were there too love. Walking dogs, working in the forest, going to caves and nature reserves.
Huge credit for putting the prevention hotline information at the START of the video.
The infectiousness of a suicide is called the “Werther Effect,” after Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther.” In the novel, the heartbroken main character kills himself by jumping in a river. The book caused a sensation, where people would dress as the main character, throwing themselves off the same bridge into the river to their deaths. After the suicides of prominent people or celebrities, there is often a bump in suicides with the general public (aka the Werther Effect)
maybe this is what happened in Bridgend a few years ago, a spate of young/teenage men and women all took their lives in a relatively short time frame, don't know the whole details so don't wish to offend anyone by getting them wrong
@@theunknownstuntman4010 I don’t know anything about that particular instance happening, but it indeed sounds exactly like it. It has happened repeatedly over the centuries. Goethe is from the late 1700’s to early 1800’s. It happens nearly every time a celebrity kills themself, like Marilyn Monroe or Robin Williams. I actually read an article on this in the mid-80s, & ordered that book from my college bookstore, just to see what triggered so many people. It’s an okay book, but it clearly struck a romantic nerve.
Sounds very similar to something that happened in school when I was in year 7/year 8. 3 girls between the ages of 13 and 17 committed suicide within less than a year of each other. They were in completely different year groups with no connections to each other, except going to the same school.
Ive heard that about sad love songs, that even got banned as they caused a rise in suicides
@@nomousecat I remember when I was in college, the city’s newspaper didn’t overly publicize the suicides of the college students, for fear of it starting a trend among the other students. If mentioned, the stories were buried in the paper, in the police beat section, or something similar, with very little information offered. The university paper NEVER mentioned the suicides. Suicides often happened around finals & grades. Their Architecture School in particular had many rumors of its death toll over the years, but you could never find the info in print.
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I actually remember one suicide that got a little more press than others, because he was a Russian exchange student (with green hair) who jumped off the back of the stadium one night. I had seen him at the clubs the week previously, drunk on the dance floor, & getting up on one of the speakers. He had green hair. And he definitely looked Russian. It’s haunted me all of these years later. He looked lonely, and drunk. But not like he was at the end of his rope. 😞
Thoughtfully researched, carefully written, tastefully delivered.
A melancholy, yet informative video. Excellent work, to everyone involved. Well done.
i don't think they are allowing this to be shown anymore. probably violates yooutube little censor bot
What a beautifully written script, Arnaldo. Really excellent, empathetic work.
Yeah especially the last part was frankly poetic. Brought me to tears.
@@hekigyoku7163 Me too. 😔
...and they put ads in it. This was all for prophet. You were fooled.
Thank you, much appreciated. It was a tough piece to write, I do hope that the message of, well, hope, managed to come through.
@@arnaldoteodorani277 You definitely succeeded and it is much appreciated. ❤️
When I clicked this video I was thinking wow this may be rough for some people. Good job with disclaimer and directions for crisis help!
To be honest, I attempted really not very long ago. This is more encouraging than triggering.
I’m a three time survivor of suicide attempts. If I had found this forest earlier, I would not be here. This video is incredibly important. Thank you.
Brandon, I'm sorry you've struggled so much. I'm also a survivor. I'm glad you're still here.
Brandon, you are loved. There's NOTHING more beautiful then life as much as it must suck sometimes I always I think of it worse and I know I'm not in your mind, but i too have had horrible thoughtd I couldn't imagine leaving my kids, and family behind it will literally cause my 82 yr old grandmother to give up. Know You are loved and are NOT alone ♥️ from Tennessee
Brandon, it's wonderful to still have you here
Thank you Simon. As someone who has always thought that I was enough to fight against my demons, who thought that burdening others with "my" problems was wrong despite them helping me wether they knew it or not, I would like to thank you personally for your words about the silence left behind after the tree falls for they meant more to me than every variation thereof that I have heard over the years.
Simon, I have to commend you on the empathy and respect you showed toward the tragedy of suicide. Your ending monologue was well spoken and very compassionate. Thank you, my friend.
A beautiful touching script. You preserved the honor of those who visited this place and never left. This is a very respectful piece. I love your scripts.
The closing of this video was really beautiful. Thank you.
I loved the quote "other animals or plants who either directly or indirectly cared for that tree, will most definitely be affected by the silence that the tree left behind" how powerful! As so one who struggles with suicidal ideation as it runs in my family, on my mother side. My mother and her father both gone to soon from selfish acts. I will remember this quote and may even get a tattoo resembling this quote so I will be reminded that I am a tree still standing and not alone, but with other trees, still growing and learning. Still full of life and love to pass on to others. No matter what my life looks like on the outside or the inside, today I go to bed knowing I made it through another day and will wake up tomorrow ready for whatever the forest has in store for me.
This was surprisingly sensitively written, respectfully delivered. Really really good job guys. I have to admit to cringing at the idea of the video, but am glad I watched. Thank you.
Possibly the most respectful approach to this subject that I've seen so far, Simon. And believe me, I've read and watched many takes on this forest and the associated attraction by those who have lost the will to live. A credit to your writers and editors.
As bold and brazen he can be on Blaze... He truly has his moments when it comes to the difficult subjects.
The fact that Jukai is away from everything and you could get lost in there adds to it being the chosen final destination of so many, as you mentioned late in the video, but I think you missed a reason behind it, as speaking from experience, even when you do seek mental health support and you are on the verge of ending it, the mental health practitioner always asked "are you able to keep yourself *and others* safe?", my response to that was always myself, probably not, but others yes, as it's not their problem and shouldn't have to suffer, I'd always make sure that, if I was going to attempt suicide again, I'd find a quiet place away from everyone and everything so I didn't bother anyone with my problems.
When you visit the forest, the silence just settles on you. When you visit the caves and get to the trail head, there is an old yellow VW beetle in the parking lot that was obviously left behind after someone entered the forest. It's got the suicide hotline number on it and some other notes on it, iirc.
I don't want to kill myself, I have a wonderful partner that loves me and I couldn't possibly hurt. But goddamn I don't want to feel this way, wake up, or fight just to keep my head above water anymore.
Exactly.
I've struggled with suicidal ideation for as long as I can remember. The ending words nearly brought me to tears. Thank you Simon. Your team and you have done it again whistleboy!
The tree falling in the forest analogy, and the plants and animals being affected around it, was so good.
Please hang on. Me too, but I believe it can get better for us.
P.s. I love you, and someone else does too.
You should see the movie Annie Hall.
Milking the same topic on his channels. Next up on side projects Aokigahara-Jukai: How The Japanese Government Prevent Suicides
@@BonShula
Most people run into only a handful of his videos. It doesn't matter. Live and let live.
So tragic. I've lost a few friends through suicide. It's not really the sadness that hurts, it's the disappointment of not being asked for help. But then again, I've had times when I'm close to giving up, and you feel too alone to ask. Fantastic work as always Simon and crew.
such a beautiful and sad place at the same time , proper enigmatic.
While it is important to discuss these serious topics around aokigahara's modern reputation, and I thank you for tackling the subject with respect as always, it is nice to finally hear somebody cover other things about the sea of trees, especially the wind cave and ice caverns. These aspects of the area are almost always ignored or not talked about in much detail. Legend 👌
Well done, thank you. My dad committed suicide 11 years ago. Two other cousins also killed themselves. Mom tried twice when she was younger. Aunt also tried. And then there’s me. Cutter at 14, tried a few weak attempts to kill myself. 30 years of on and off therapy did nothing. I still think of suicide every day. I have tried even when I was 40. It is extremely hard when you are fighting both bipolar and GAD. Thank you for this.
From what I remember, the elderly were brought to the forest by their families because there wasn’t enough food for all.
You never told me this? you good?
Never thought one of Simon's many videos, would be able to bring me to tears🧡
Very well written & perfectly performed. Much love everyone🥰💯🧡
Love your videos. Not stuff you watch every day. Something different and intriguing. Keep it up!
Beautifully crafted closing to this video. Well done.
I cannot commend you enough for how well you handled this topic, Simon.
That was very sensitively presented. Thank you, Simon and Arnaldo.
Great video! Thank you
I grabbed a thread. 6 years later I'm stronger, but still hanging on.
I think many of us had to face our inner monsters when we had to quarantine during the pandemic.
I'm not sure who wrote this but the line, 'Nothing is more dangerous than a person alone with their thoughts' really fits.
Growing up with a suicidal mother was so hard and it left me with a constant feeling of anxiety and fear. I remember thinking that if I didn't say I love you to her at night then she would do it. Now as a middle aged woman who suffers from Major Depressive Disorder and PTSD I have wrestled with my own feelings of just giving up but I am quickly brought back to the feelings I had with my mom and I remind myself that it's not the right way out. We're all here for a reason and I don't ever want to give up on myself because life goes by so fast already. So I keep moving on and I feel like I'm finally at peace. I don't want to see anyone give up. Live your life because you're the only you and you are needed even if you may not know it.
I love the channel and greatly respect that you took time time to include help hotlines for multiple countries.
Beautifully written & delivered. This topic is never easy but you have done it justice while giving it the solemn respect it deserves. Well done team 👏
Thank you so very much for this video, Simon. I have been working in mental health for nearly a decade and have been diagnosed for far longer, and I just really want to thank you for bring awareness to this severe issue.
Excellent job, Simon!
Thank you for a respectful, thoughtful explanation, warning and offer of support lines.
Well done Simon. This is one powerful video.
There are 4 reasons that I'd like to visit Japan. Aokigahara is one of them. In the past I've felt like self termination myself, and my choice of location was based more on the practicality of my chosen method, but I'd love to visit a place that is considered so beautiful that so many people choose it for their last moments. I'd also love to do Mt. Fuji for the typical tourist sunrise, and also visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
It is a beautiful forest. I spent an afternoon there a few years ago.
Last few minutes made me tear up, fantastic writing and delivery.
Well done. Thank you for your tenderness and honesty with this video
All around excellent! In everyway. Thank you.
I missed the last bus when I visited and got a lift back to the station from a man who worked in the giftshop. He was lovely.
There is a bird that screams like a woman, in the silence of the forest it's jarring and a bit disconcerting. It is beautiful though.
Well done, Simon and team. Written and delivered well.
You’re just a TH-camr! Thankyou for the forewarning with compassion xx
realy respectful and gentle presentation Simon! this one tragic yet importent subject.
Oof, the survivors talking about wanting to not bother someone with their suicides. Hit a little close to home there with my own struggles. I’ve found my ways to resist and fight my inner demons, and I hope more can do so, wherever they are in the world.
Thank you Simon and Co. Making this a more talked about subject helps a lot. I wish being helpful was the new pandemic.
I've lost friends too soon because of the pain they felt. Life is so precious it hurts every time to hear someone's gone this route. Wondering at the whatever it might of took to keep them around, many of their friends and family are always shocked and I wish it was easier to make that better known by those that suffer...
No doubt things can get super dark and yet. I believe, lots of people care, we often overlook those moments and focus on the negative. Some may care yet have no capacity, and others the capacity but no means, you can find that nexus and find help. I don't know what that looks like for you but it is out there. It helps me to think of suicide as a permanent solution to a temporary problem, I hope that this silly message under a truly important and great video helps someone.
My boyfriend had mentioned something along that line to me a few years ago. It stuck with me ever since. You guys are both such smart 🍪🍪
Best coverage of this destination I've ever seen, thanks
I've had suicidal ideations as long as I can remember. I've had multiple psychologists and psychiatrists. I've been on and off meds. I still wanna do it. I know some day I WILL do it. I've read comments saying that the final message move them. I've felt nothing. I feel disconnected from everything. Im not even sad anymore. Im empty.
Well done. Intriguing. Appreciated.
"Make sure you've grabbed one end of the thread" Such beautiful writing, the sensitivity and caution in this video. perfectly delivered.
And "that's popularity itself"
"If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it does it make a sound? Yes it does!!"
The delivery is perfect. Great work Simon, from Nairobi, Kenya
Been waiting for this one!
The outro speech of this video was absolutely the best I have EVER heard
Wonderfully presented and written. The end was touching. Poetic.
You are so good at wrapping things up.
Fascinating. Thank you. 🌷🌿🌷
Jeez, this makes the one I wrote for Into the Shadows look like chump change! Sadness!
Just kidding (ish lol), honestly a great video. I could have done better, really wish I did. But regardless, message is the same: Suicide is never the answer. There’s always the chance things will get better, and more often then not there are those who love you and who will miss you. Please talk to someone, please don’t let the darkness win. We’re all here for you, the world won’t be the same without you!
Please don't dunk on yourself Matt - Simon has a fairly high standard for writers on most of his channels, and yours was published and did the subject justice.
Hoping to see your name come up with future videos.
@@TheDreamStrider thanks for the kind words ☺️
Hey Matt! Just want to say that I enjoyed your work and it was well suited for the channel. Keep it up!
I was just saying I swear this was a reupload but he had a video recently on another channel
Different, not better or worse. I like this and I like your writing too Matt! It’s a difficult, raw subject and you are very tasteful and thoughtful.
I imagine that ad was a head scratcher to work into the script. "Right... how do we transition from suicide forest to website builder...?"
Thank you for sharing all the help hot lines you could
Great work thank yoU
One thing Simon didn't mention is that some of the strings and tape lead to victims in the forest. These people usually go way off the trail.. beyond the gate and camp as they contemplate their life. They use the strings to guide them back out if they decide they want to live.
As hard as it was to watch due to subject matter, that may be the best video you have ever done. That was a great video and the way you eneded it gave respect to bothe the dead, and the living.
Simon, Thank you for doing this. The message at the end hit close to home. Years ago, I almost was a fallen tree as well (way better place these days), these days I'm aware of the signs in others around me, and do what I can to help. You are right about the monsters inside of all of us, but there is always help out there, I learnt that the hard way. Thank you for what you have done with this video. Mad respect for you.
I've been dealing with ideation since 2011, I feel like part of the problem is that the issues that get people down aren't going away. At least thats how it is with me. We live on this earth and we're destroying it, we're so mean to each other, and every day it gets harder to see how I'm going to be able to afford to live. It's not good for anyone.
Thanks for the respect and access to the resources that you provided..
Well done, Thank you!
beautiful ending simon . you and your writers are amazing. ❤️
I was extremely and scarily close to committing suicide in June 2019. Since then I've taken some massive steps in improving my mental health, I've had lots of ups and downs a long the way and have never come that close since. I never want to be there again, I felt so alone, so helpless, so pathetic, so pointless.
If ever I feel like that now, I ask myself why I feel like that and 8/10 times, there's a reason that I can fix, the other 2/10 I put that down to the illness I still suffer from that for some reason wants me off this planet. But I am not about to let it.
When I watch videos like this, I can sometimes put myself in that person's shoes so to speak and it no longer makes me feel uncomfortable, I just wish that for the people that enter that forest, something makes them change their mind, but at the same time. I really do understand why people do it, sometimes there is no turning back until it's too late.
I have watched so many videos on this channel and other channel's, I find it hard to keep track of your channels (lol), but each video you do is so engaging, well written and well spoke.
Thank you Simon :)
Thank you, Simon. This was very well written, congratulations to the writer. You delivered the content with an informative quiet respect.
Having lived with suicidal depression for a long time (behind me now) I am very impressed with the message at the end.
Thank you again.
This was done with taste, respect, honouring those not with us and with utter realism.
Cheers
That switch to the ad was catastrophic. From a book that led 3 people to kill themselves to this videos proud sponsor in a couple of seconds. Maybe do without a sponsor for delicate subjects such as this as to not look like a callous moneygrabber.
Pfft you think he does this shit for fun, or worse, at a loss? He still has writers and other staff to pay. No sponsor or Adsense = no video. It's not hard to simply hit the rigth arrow a few times (5 sec skip each) to skip the same stupid 5 sponsors on all his (and just about every one else's) videos. For the regular Adsense spots put there by Google just install Adblock, gets rid of all of them.
"There are almost 19,000 people committing suicide every year. Now let me tell you about Squarespace!"
Good video 👍
Thank you for doing this video. My boyfriends daughter committed suicide a few years ago and changed our lives forever. One of the best videos you have done, very thoughtful and respectful .
A followup video on Fuji itself would be amazing.
a great presentation, if some one viewing this and has those thoughts , sit and take a look at the forest , it doesn't matter how dense the canopy gets, the light will always pernitrate through, take a look at the ground, you will see new growth taking advantage of the little light available to them, this is what i discovered sitting on a slope in the egmont national park, in one of my deepest darkest moments, I'm saying this just to state you can always find light if you want to look , :)
I'm sure squarespace loved the location of this plug.
That last assertion about a tree falling making a sound, wow, that metaphors hit me deep.
Beautiful closing thoughts
Thank you for your respect and empathy with which you talked about this.
This was beautifully written. Arnaldo is a fantastic writer.
Thank you, I do my best.
Nicely done. Very respectful.
That Square Space ad for this video was just perfect.
Very moving!
Somber vid my man but a necessary one thank you
Very touching.
"You're here for a reason, go find it first before giving up"
Very well scripted, and educational. Well done people.
Thank you
Geographics and Vice Media have covered this forest with respect. For those out there struggling with depression, remember there's help out there. And the dark tunnel you're in will not last. Hang in there and be true.