Okigahara: the forest of death and ghosts

There is no more precious than life, especially with those we love and love us, and the world’s wealth is not equal to a moment of sincere love filled with happiness and contentment with our loved ones, but life is like the sea, sometimes clear and calm, and sometimes filled with storms, waves and dangers that may destroy us if we do not endure them and deal with them With reason and faith, and with the help of those who care about us, and if a person becomes isolated from those around him and becomes, by definition, Japanese, “hekikomori” - and last week’s article addressed this shocking phenomenon - there is no doubt that the end may be tragic, so the person decides to put an end to his life, decides to leave, and considers the phenomenon of suicide A global problem It is a challenge to all humanity. It is our duty not to leave a person in isolation and suffering to the point where he decides to commit suicide, but unfortunately this is what happens.

In Japan, near Mount Fuji, there is a forest that is said to be almost synonymous with horror and mystery, called the Forest of Death, or the Suicide Forest, or “Okigahara”, where suicide seekers go to it, and leave themselves to die of thirst and starvation, or by hanging, or by toxic doses And the number of suicides in this forest ranges between 30 and 100 people annually, until the Japanese government decided to stop publishing the numbers of suicides, as it was noticed that the number of suicides increased, due to the fact that people were alerted to the existence of this place, and the competent authorities are making continuous attempts to discourage the suicides from placing their signs. And awareness on the outskirts of the forest, to urge them to contact Those who can help them, remember their loved ones and the impact of suicide on them, and put rolls of tapes tied first to trees on the edge of the forest, so the person will hold the other side during his last trip, so that if he decides to change his mind, he can get out of the forest by tracking that tape.

According to the World Health Organization (September 2019), the number of suicides annually reaches 800 thousand cases, or 2160 cases per day, and the numbers seem to be greater than that, especially since not all cases are documented, and for every successful suicide there are 20 attempts that have not been made. The Arab world has a large share of suicides, especially in Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Syria. I think that we need scientific studies that are characterized by transparency and openness in studying this phenomenon in the Arab world, followed by studied programs to raise awareness and support society, so that we do not leave each other to reach that tragic and sad end, while providing serious and specialized mechanisms for caring for mental health, as well as we need to Include this topic in the curriculum. Finally, man should not leave himself prey to his weakness and the obsessive of Satan, and he must seek help in a timely manner.

Alaa_Garad @

Garad@alaagarad.com

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