Maurice Benard, who has played General Hospital’s bipolar mob king Sonny Corinthos for more than a quarter-century, has not been shy about opening up to his fans about his own personal mental health problems.
Maurice Benard: You’re Not Alone
In fact, Benard recently released the book Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital, which detailed how he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 20, how it began to surface in childhood, and the struggles he had in understanding it all.
The actor was also instrumental in having this important cause implemented in his GH storyline, as Sonny is bipolar, as was his late son Morgan also diagnosed with it.
Benard posted a message to fans on his Instagram account reminding them that May is Mental Health Month and stressing the importance of staying connected with people during the dark times of the pandemic.
“Now more than ever, the mental health community needs to come together and support each other,” he wrote. In an accompanying video, Benard says one way he stays connected is to not allow the “movie in his head” to take over his life.
“Please remember that it’s OK to not be OK right now,” he says. “I know these times are challenging, they’ve been very challenging for me too, but you have to know that even though it may feel like it sometimes, please remember that you are not alone. We’re all going to get through this together.”
For those who need support, Benard champions The National Alliance on Mental Illness as a great resource, letting people know they can contact their HelpLine 800-950-6264 or text N-A-M-I to 741741 at any time.
He also invited people to share their own stories at www.nami.org/yourstory and across social channels with the hashtag #NotAlone to help raise awareness. General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes.
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