GH’s Lexi Ainsworth Addresses Anxiety On Maurice Benard’s State Of Mind

This week on Maurice Benard’s YouTube video podcast, State Of Mind, he spent a little off-time with his on-screen General Hospital ‘family’ when actress Lexi Ainsworth, who plays his daughter Kristina Davis, joined him on the show.

Lexi Ainsworth: The Origins Of Anxiety

“Today, we have somebody. Actually, it’s my daughter,” Benard let out a huge laugh. “It’s my TV daughter. I’m a method actor so everything to me is ‘like’ real. So, she is like my daughter. Her name is Lexi Ainsworth and she is ‘worth’ a lot! She’s an Emmy Award-Winning actress!” He began, “Tell me about growing up in Oklahoma. What was it like?”

“I loved it! You had so much independence. Everyone knows everyone in the neighborhood. It’s very safe. My dad still leaves his keys in his car. Keeps his door unlocked.” The young actress described her hometown, “The neighborhood has its own police and fire department so it’s really safe. I would ride my bike to my friends’ houses.”

But despite the safe upbringing, Ainsworth suffered from anxiety. She revealed the moment she first knew that she might have a problem. “Right before I would go to bed, I would always think about the worst-case scenario of the things that are going to happen to me,” recalled the star.

“I don’t know why I would do this but if I hear a helicopter, I think ‘Oh my God, this is it. I am going to die.’ But I have always had anxiety. Apparently, when talking to my mom I found out that I was always an anxious kid.

“My mom was saying that ‘you’ve always had anxiety because you would get stomach aches and I would have to bring you medicine to school. Because you would get so anxious about school.’”

She went on to explain, “My anxiety created these physical issues. Growing up it was always related to school which is funny because now I am back in school. It is my choice.”

Managing Mental Health

Ainsworth didn’t let it define her. Sounding more mature than her 29 years, the actress talked about addressing anxiety head-on and finding the tools to deal with it. “Now I am taking classes and I am working on getting my degree. And it is still stressful but I think that now that I am more aware of it and I have better tools to manage that now. I am also in therapy and that helps significantly. So I have enough tools right now to manage those things.”

Benard spoke about the inspiration of having her on his podcast as a role model for young girls today who are struggling with stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues, and he knew her experiences would help.

“There are so many ways that you can manage your mental health,” she shared. The talented young actress gave examples of outlets that help soothe her anxiety levels and help her to maintain her focus. “I love yoga and I have been doing it for years. The philosophy behind it, the meditation that goes with it. I started doing a gratitude journal and it has been really, really helpful so when I have bad days, I just go back and look down at what I wrote that I am grateful for. I write three things and I try to do it every day.”

Other topics included in this episode were her journey researching women’s shelters to help her understand Kristina’s abuse storyline which garnered her a Daytime Emmy nomination, being chased by police in Thailand, her struggle, and triumph of feeling too sensitive, seeking advice from Benard for a Lifetime movie project, how much in-tune they are as actors, and much more.

The moment to watch for is towards the end of the show when Benard brings up THAT moment. The scene that had everyone talking, when Kristina found out Sonny was alive and it blew the cast and audience away with its sincerity. Find out the inspiration behind the memorable performance that brought Benard to tears. You can re-visit the on-screen reunion in a Twitter post and see a preview of this episode — both are below.

You can also watch the full episode here. To catch up on State of Mind on YouTube click here and follow Maurice Benard on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Lexi Ainsworth on Twitter and Instagram.

General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Port Charles, check out all the latest that’s been posted on GH spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.