Each year, 42,773 Americans die by suicide. For each suicide, 25 attempt. But with early intervention, support and treatment, suicide is preventable — and those considering it need to know they’re not alone.

To send messages of hope to those who might need it right now, we teamed up with PostSecret to collect images and notes for those who are contemplating suicide. Because suicidal feelings or ideations should never be a secret. We need to talk about it, and let others know it’s OK to do the same.

If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or just needs someone to talk to, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. To learn more about the warning signs of suicide, head here.

If you’re feeling hopeless, here are some things you should know:

“I almost took my life four years ago. The suffering felt inescapable at the time. Things have gotten better since then. In fact, my life is better today because of the great depression I passed though.”

submitted by PostSecret

“My father died by suicide. Before he did it he told me he felt broken and that everyone was against him… I didn’t know he was going to die later that night. I never got to say goodbye. He left a hole in my heart. He was my best friend. I wish I had told him, ‘You are not broken. I love you more than you can imagine. You have always been my hero, and even hero’s fall down sometimes. Please hold on, please lean on me. The darkness doesn’t last forever. Even if the rest of the world is against you, I’ll always stand by your side.’”

“A few years ago, I sat on my bed with pills in hand ready to end the pain. Then my cat crawled into my lap and pretty much knocked them out of my hand while wanting to be pet. I looked at his sweet face and thought, ‘Who the hell is going to feed you if I’m gone? Will you end up in a shelter?’ That was my moment to reconsider my worth. Someone (my cat) truly needed me. I know it seems simple and contrite, but it was my truth. I was needed and I was loved. This is my story and you have a story, too. You have worth. You are needed! Please, if you need to talk, call me. Let’s talk. Or, call someone you feel can help. We are here.”

“Everything is temporary, including suffering. Trust the process. Let go of your need to control how things go. Just live until something changes for the better, because it will. Love, a cancer patient and formerly suicidal 23-year-old who cares about you.”

“A week before my 19th birthday I was diagnosed with HSV (herpes). I contemplated killing myself because of the social stigma of STDs. I went to counseling, eventually started a herpes support blog, now have 1,000 followers, have found a community and have talked others out of killing themselves because of their herpes diagnosis. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.”

submitted by PostSecret

“

“

“You are not alone in the feeling of desperation and hopelessness. Your mind is playing a cruel trick on you. Try to think of a few things, anything, to be grateful for. That helped me the most in those darkest moments. And just to lighten the mood a bit, here’s a picture of my dog taking a selfie.”

“

“

“Sometimes it seems like an endless battle that is fought within the mind and fueled by the emotions. Slowly it chips away at you piece by piece, but underneath all of those layers is where you begin to find the truth of who you are, what you have been carrying with you all of this time, and when you reach the point where you feel as though you have nothing left to lose, that is when you must hold on the most because profound changes are just around the corner waiting for you to take that leap, not to your death, but into a new life. You are not alone in this process of waking up, and you are loved more than you could possibly know by people you may never expect. Every act of kindness you have ever done has made this world a better place and we need more of that, we need you.”

“No one in this picture would exist I if my mom [died after] her suicide attempt. You have a future. Live for it.”

“If I had died the night I tried, this amazing creature would not exist today… and what a shame that would be. The future is beautiful if you just hold on.”

submitted by Crystal Merreighn

If you or someone you know needs help, see our suicide prevention resources.

If you need support right now, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

*Answers have been edited and shortened.

Related: What to Do When You’re Worried a Loved One Might Be Suicidal