Go Amber!
It doesn’t seem hard for many of the Teen Mom cast members to make a full-time living off of being a reality television star. After all, they make a pretty hefty chunk of change just for their celebrity status and appearances on MTV. That said, many of them have also decided to venture into side businesses to keep them afloat when Teen Mom eventually comes to an end.
Because they don’t need a primary source of income, they normally focus on passion projects. For stars like Jenelle, that means fashion and makeup; for Kailyn, it means podcasting and behind-the-scenes work. Amber Portwood has been outspoken about mental health for years, so it’s no surprise she would devote herself to something in that arena when branching out.
The star just announced that she’ll be pursuing action for those who have struggled with mental health like she has.
Credit: MTV
New Move
Credit: MTV
Amber Portwood has chronicled her experiences with mental illness since the early seasons of Teen Mom OG. She was recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder — both complex and often misunderstood conditions that can affect people’s actions, behaviors, and relationships. Lately, she’s been speaking out about how her conditions have affected her, citing them as the reason she’s been absent from her daughter Leah’s life.
Now it seems that she’s taking a stand for the movement.
“FACT,” read an image Amber shared on Instagram. “Each year, approximately 44 million american adults will experience serious mental health condition… less than half will seek treatment due to stigma and discrimination.”
She captioned the photo with what she was doing to try to make a change. “I’m excited to share a new venture with you all!” she wrote. “I will be starting a #YouTube channel to help bring awareness about people and their amazing journeys through mental health struggles. Please send questions and inspirational stories I can share to [email protected] I will share the YouTube channel right when it’s set up!!” She signed off, “Sending all my love #think4achange.”
Mixed Reactions
Source: Instagram @amberportwood123
Some fans on Instagram were thrilled at the idea of Amber advocating for mental health awareness. “Awesome!” wrote user @riiixo__. “I have diagnosed mental disorders myself can’t wait to watch! Good job!”
“It makes me super happy when I see someone with a platform talking about this stuff. Thank you,” user @hayitsmindy wrote.
Many fans on Reddit were less optimistic about the idea, though. “Amber: why not use the remainder of your pregnancy to disconnect from SM, reconnect with your daughter and seek out a good therapist to help you manage your mania? Just a suggestion,” wrote user Candy_Darling.
They continued in a later post:
“This is Amber trying to spin her recent Twitter Meltdown.Maybe help yourself before you try to help others. I predict 3 episodes before she loses interest and/or gets slaughtered by trolls. God this kid never learns.”
Many also pointed out that although Amber gets flooded with positivity on Instagram and Twitter, YouTube comments can often be particularly cruel.
“Whoa!!! YouTube commenters are brutal,” wrote user chrissycakes8726. “She’s really not thinking clearly.”
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