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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Even before he became one of the stars of long-running soap opera “General Hospital,” Maurice Benard faced the challenges of growing up with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. His book, “Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital” (William Morrow/Harper Collins), tells the story of his struggles to keep his demons at bay while pursuing an acting career. The book, which was just honored with a prestigious Christopher Award, was released this week in paperback.
The timing is appropriate, as May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Bipolar disorder affects more than seven million Americans.
Throughout his 28 years playing mobster Sonny Corinthos on the popular soap opera, Benard has dealt with the bipolar highs and lows on set and off. Throughout his professional journey and while building his family, he was pushed to the boundaries of despair, struggling with the stigma of having a mental illness he felt he couldn’t share with the world. In secret, he managed manic episodes on the set of the TV show, fending off terrifying setbacks he experienced while off his meds.
He has become a vocal advocate for a better understanding of depression and mental illness and its impact on individuals, their families and those around them.
During Mental Health Awareness Month, the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) has adopted the theme of “You Are Not Alone,” to focus on the healing value of connecting in safe ways, prioritizing mental health and acknowledging that it’s okay to not be okay. The group’s vision is of a nation where anyone affected by mental illness can get the appropriate support and quality of care to live healthy, fulfilling lives — a nation where no one feels alone in their struggle.
NAMI reports that 20.6% of U.S. adults, 51.5 million people, experienced mental illness in 2019.
Maurice Benard’s story helps shed light on an illness that is too often kept quiet and hidden.
“His story reminds us that we are all worthy of compassion and respect, and that the power of love and faith can change the world for the better,” said Tony Rossi, The Christophers’ Director of Communications. The Christopher Awards were created in 1949 to celebrate writers, producers, directors, authors, and illustrators whose work “affirms the highest values of the human spirit” and reflects the Christopher motto, “It’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”
More information about mental illness is at www.nami.org.