[grahamburger]

Actually I might say about someone who had a heart attack or cancer. A father whose doctor and family begged him to change his diet and exercise habits for years before his fatal heart attack, or a mother who continued smoking even after the cancer set in, for example. Yes, mental illness is very much like any other illness, and like any other illness it can often be prevented and managed through lifestyle changes under a doctor's direction. I'm with GP - with a few rare exceptions suicide is a purely selfish and preventable act.

[mikeash]

Refusing to take preventive measures could potentially be called selfish. (Although it's much less clear with mental illness where the disease itself hinders such action.) The death itself is not, especially since these things can still kill you even if you do everything right.

Would you mind giving me the name of your practice so I can make sure that nobody I care about ever, ever goes there?

[illuminate]

"Refusing to take preventive measures could potentially be called selfish"

The problem isn't just the illness clouding the need for them but also that there are sometimes more significant side-effects as well.