Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
There are some places in the world that have a significantly higher suicide rate than others and one man visited the “most suicidal town on Earth” to shed light on why its earned that tragic title.
A heartbreakingly touching video was uploaded to YouTube by Luke Korns who spent time in the town, speaking to locals and learning about their culture.
The small region is located in Greenland, which is the least densely populated country in the world but with the highest suicide rate.
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And there is a town named Tasiilaq in eastern Greenland which suffers the highest rates in the country.
Wanting to find out more, Korns headed to the area and stayed with a friend, Vittus, who was born and raised in Tasiilaq.
"It was clear the importance of family and holding them close"
Showing him around, the YouTuber noticed that a flag outside the local hospital was at half-mast, which Vittus explained was due to a suicide that had occurred that day.
Korns then asked him if he had friends that had died by suicide, to which Vittus replied, “Yeah, many friends, my cousin.”
Attending a party together, Korns commented that “interacting with everyone from what I could see, everyone seems so happy and content, so much laughter and smiling. That's good in a town with a lot of sadness.
“It was clear the importance of family and holding them close.”
Viewers were touched by the video, taking to the YouTube comment section to share their thoughts.
One user sympathized with the town locals, writing: “I grew up in Alaska, this resonates a lot, the dark winters, the cold, nothing to do and many turn to drinking and it spirals from there. I think people who haven't lived in these kinds of places struggle to understand how much an effect constant darkness can have.”
Another said: “There's such a sad energy coming from the whole town, you can tell how it's a constant cycle, being that the population is so small, probably every single person that inhabits it knows at least one person who has committed suicide.”
And a third added: “Sometimes it’s not about giving them good advice, it's about being open to listening.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741