Op-ed: Eradicate the stigma of mental health care
By: Cmdr. Matthew D.W. Phillips  
I recently lost my father.
He was a well-spoken man and incredibly smart. He succeeded in a career that required a security clearance. If you met him, you’re probably surprised to find out that he also was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
Unmedicated, uncounseled and alone – his death was preventable. The stigma he harbored about asking for help would eventually claim his life. He died penniless and bed-ridden inside a state institution, the victim of a stroke brought on by his refusal to eat, drink or move as his mental illness consumed him.
As I’ve reflected on his life, I continue to see unfortunate similarities between his struggles and those experienced by so many sailors.
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2019/10/03/op-ed-eradicate-the-stigma-of-mental-health-care/
