With four years, hundreds of guests, and over 170k subscribers under his belt, General Hospital’s Maurice Benard has taught viewers a lot about navigating mental health on his podcast State of Mind.
Maurice’s Take
When asked what some of the best things they’ve learned from Benard’s podcast have been, viewers had a lot to share with Soap Hub. From normalizing the conversation to finding a sense of relatability, State of Mind has formed an online community of people tackling mental health, starting with its founder.
Benard (who recently revealed why 2024 was a year of firsts for him) took to X (formerly Twitter) in response to Soap Hub’s question with his own reflection of his podcast. “That you can live a great and productive life being bipolar,” the actor wrote.
Others chimed in to reveal what they’ve learned from Benard about Bipolar Disorder. “Through SOM/Maurice I learn to be proud of my progress and who I am. All of the parts of me, one of which is being bipolar,” one viewer revealed. “Mo you helped me to not feel ashamed and taught me to keep fighting and share my story. Fellowship is very healing.”
“#BeingBipolar has given me more empathy & insight into the struggles/challenges of others, which is why I love #StateofMind,” a viewer shared, while another thanked Benard with, “Agreed. Bipolar is challenging but you can live a happy and productive life. I definitely learned that from you.”
Anxiety
Many viewers had a lot to say about anxiety, another thing Benard has been very open about on his podcast.
“I learned that with social anxiety, even though I had a setback since March, losing a job because of my anxiety and trying to get back to work has been a struggle. I haven’t given up. I’m just a little lost at the moment,” one viewer confided, to which Benard, replied, “you will be found everything passes [sic].”
“What I learned by watching Maurice Benard State of Mind is that it’s probably not the first time the anxiety comes on and that I’ll get through it like all the times prior,” another said.
Another received a string of clapping emojis and a power fist emoji from Benard himself for their candid response: “Because of Maurice, I’m able to talk about my Social Anxiety Disorder. It’s not talked about like the other mental illnesses.”
You’e Not Alone Anymore
One of the biggest things viewers had to say was the way SOM taught them that they’re not alone in their mental health struggles.
“That it unites people and no matter what someone is going through and feels alone it helps them to see that others are or have been through the same or similiar,” one viewer answered, while another touched on feeling empowered while living with depression. “That no matter what we are not alone. And although depression was once considered a weakness it takes the strength and courage of an army to live with it successfully. And I am the leader of my own army.”
“Just talking out loud about how our own selves feel is freeing,” another began. “So many people to be able to recognize things within themselves or a friend or family and can learn that we are all in this together and spread kindness and awareness,” they continued with a slew of loving emojis.
Continuing The Conversation
Another thing viewers credited the GH star for is giving people a platform to have tough conversations, including his own. “He’s been open about being bipolar IRL and on the screen for decades. When mental health was kept in the shadows, MB brought it into the light” a viewer praised Benard, calling him a legend. “He continues to help others and normalize these conversations, to not give up…he deserves a humanitarian award!”
“To call your condition what it is. Take responsibility for your condition. And to get the help you need. But recognizing that you have to take the first steps,” another said.
Author’s Note
As for the author behind this piece and an avid SOM viewer, Benard’s podcast has helped me learn and understand a lot about my own mental health. Watching the podcast has shown me that many of my favorite soap stars also experience similar battles to me. I learned how anxiety can manifest as physical symptoms in your body from Josh Swickard’s (Chase, GH) episode; Evan Hofer’s (Dex, GH) outlook on his career in his recent episode gave me a new perspective on mine; and Jonathan Jackson’s (Lucky, GH) episode offered a mind-blowing take on the way beauty can heal trauma.
Now it’s your turn. What have you learned from watching State of Mind? Let us know in the comments.
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