Welcome to the Steel City Lonely Hearts Club!

My name is Amber, and I've been diagnosed with a number of mental illnesses over the years. Bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, dissociation (depersonalization, derealization), attention deficit disorder, polysubstance abuse. I recently received my BS in psychology, and am trying to use my experience and education to help others find the help or support that they need. I know that medications can help with the chemical imbalances associated with mental illness, but I also know that there is nothing quite like a friend to listen and be there when you need somebody to lean on.

Furthermore, I realize that there are a number of benefits to having a mental illness. I've been in the art community of Pittsburgh since my Freshmen year at CAPA (The Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts), and have used my own experiences and the feelings I've felt so deeply to fuel my inspiration for paintings, drawings, sculpture, and acting roles for the majority of my life.

I'm armed with a number of resources, and encourage members to ask me questions regarding mental health (and creative outlets too!). If there is something I can't answer, I'll direct you to an alternate resource.

This group is (by default) LGBT friendly, as I myself am a bisexual female.

CONTACT AMBER: amber.kunkel@gmail.com

"Sanity is basically an act. Insanity, is dropping the act." Nana Lee

"Insanity is a sane response to an insane situation." Ronald David Laing