What angers me the most is that this doesn't have to happen. But it does, and most Americans simply don't care. It is easier to believe that people like me did something wrong than it is to realize there is soul-crushing injustice in America. It's ironic, but trying to recover has made my symptoms worse.

Although our obstacles are on a smaller scale, we too know what it's like to be stuck 100 years behind the rest of the country. We face discrimination and hostility because of a psychiatric diagnosis.

Lack of funding for the mental health system is not as visible as this bus stop, but it is just as real. The consequences include a lack of talented treatment providers, difficulty accessing treatment and an overburdened prison system.