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.