"i have attempted suicide three times in my life. the first two times were before i knew of lithium and the third was when i took a break from lithium, foolishly thinking i had gotten better. lithium, at 900mg, almost completely eliminates the suicidal ideation. symptoms of depression still present, however much better. side effects i have had are weight gain (5 lbs?), frequent urination/thirst, thinning of my hair and sometimes i feel tired. i&#039;ll take these side effects any day over how i used to feel. this medicine has kept me alive. 

if you have recurring suicidal ideation, i would highly recommend."