The last few days have been difficult for a lot of people as we come to terms with the loss of British TV presenter Caroline Flack. She took her own life following a relentless assault against her character by the tabloid press as she struggled to deal with her relationship, a court case and losing her job.

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Now social media has been flooded with messages urging people to "Be kind", because we never know exactly what someone else is going through. If you ever feel low enough that you are considering taking your own life, we believe that music can help you reconsider... 

Illusion - VNV Nation

The world is cruel, but there's hope. You don't have to change yourself for a world that expects you to be somebody else. This song from VNV Nation's 2007 album Judgement was later dedicated to murder victim Sophie Lancaster, who was killed at 20-years-old by a mob for her gothic clothes just a few months later. There's a message there: Even if the world succeeds in killing you, never help them along the way.

How to Save a Life - The Fray

Not everybody knows how to help you when things get bad, but there's sure as hell going to be people blaming themselves if you do go. If everyone knew what to do when people they know are suicidal, there would be far fewer deaths. This song from the American rock band's debut studio album of the same name was the one that catapulted them to worldwide fame, because it's a story many of us can relate to. 

Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.

You're not the only one going through what you're going through. Just as you might plaster on a smile to hide the truth from the people around you, more people than you think are doing exactly the same. Arguably one of R.E.M.'s most famous songs (second only to Losing My Religion), it was released on their 1992 album Automatic for the People. The lyrics were deliberately written so straight-forward so that young people could understand the message.

F**kin' Perfect - P!nk

No matter what you've done or how badly you've messed up, you are fine just as you are. Everyone makes mistakes but there'll always be someone around who loves you not despite your flaws, but because of them. Written for the 2010 album Greatest Hits... So Far!!!, Pink was inspired by her husband Carey Hart. It's for anyone who ever feels like they're worthless.

Three Little Birds - Bob Marley

Take comfort in the small things in life and don't let yourself worry about the things you can't control. Trust that everything will work out fine. Of course, we understand that dealing with mental health is a lot more complicated than it seemed to be in the 70s, but if Bob Marley wrote this after an assassination attempt and was singing it long after he was diagnosed with skin cancer, his simple words might be worth heeding.

1-800-273-8255 - Logic ft. Alessia Cara and Khalid

This is Logic's highest charting single, released in 2017 from his number one album Everybody. The title for the track, if you hadn't worked it out, is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Half the song is written from the perspective of someone who wants to die, and the other half is the person giving them a reasons to live. It's such a hard-hitting song, and its success proves just how powerful music can be.

One More Light - Linkin Park

The title track from the band's final album with frontman Chester Bennington, it was released as a single posthumously but the album itself came tragically two months before we lost him to suicide in 2017. It's all about how it might feel as though your death wouldn't matter to most people, but there's always someone out there who needs you to live. Strangely enough, it wasn't actually written with suicide in mind; instead being inspired by the loss of one of their friends to cancer.

REMEMBER
Always reach out to someone whenever you feel so down that suicide seems like the only solution. Call emergency services if you feel you are in imminent danger of harming yourself, or else you can call the following hotlines:

UK
Samaritans: 116 123

US
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK [8255]