Well, I don't have schizophrenia but I've battled suicide since I was twelve. I think suicidal ideation is really the same in all illnesses that have it as a symptom. That's the first thing you need to remember about suicide, it's a symptom of the bigger illness and not an illness in itself. It's like a fever. You can surely die from a fever but it's not the actual illness, the fever is caused by an infection of some type.

So, just like a fever, suicidal thoughts are temporary. They can be treated as you treat the illness. As you start to find stability suicidal thoughts back off. The more you are "well" the less you have them, and even when you do have them, they are weaker and weaker. If you're having powerful suicidal thoughts that are difficult to fight, that's when you know you're in trouble and need help.

Also, suicial thoughts are not lies that your brain is telling you. I say it's like having a demon in your head that's whispering all these terrible things to you. But they are all lies. I have come to equate these thoughts to similar to delusions. They are powerful. You can argue with someone who is suicidal all day and they will argue back how worthless they are, and you can't seem to get through to them. Just like a delusion, the person having it can believe it 100%, and hard to argue them out of it.

I think it's important to start envisioning yourself as powerful. You are a warrior. Envision that as you want. I see myself as a knight on a white horse. I have my sword, my bow, my big sheild to protect me. It reflects the evil lies of the suicide demon. I envision that I carry the light of life within me, and that light is important to the people in my life: my kids, my husband, my dad. This helps me when I am struggling with my battles.

For me, hearing that 30% of all people with bipolar will suceed at suicide, that does make me sad. But it reminds me that this is a real illness with real consequences, and death is one of those. It makes me want to fight and not be a statistic. I want to be in the group that lives and shows others that they can win the fight, too.