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GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Maurice Benard Opens Up In Emotional Interview

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Maurice Benard (Sonny) was recently a guest on Getting Real, a radio show hosted by former GENERAL HOSPITAL castmate Réal Andrews (ex-Taggart) and life coach Alex Urbina.

Benard has long been an outspoken advocate in the battle against bipolar disorder, openly speaking about his own personal battle with the illness.

In the episode, Benard talks with Andrews and Urbina about dealing with anxiety attacks, revealing how he was able to overcome his fear of flying to travel from Los Angeles to Boston in order to film the upcoming movie Joy. “I hadn’t flown in 10 years,” he confesses. “And I gotta tell you, man, it was one of the hardest things that I’ve done to get back on that plane.”

He also declares that his new outlook on life is giving him more confidence during auditions and predicts that the new year is going to hold more success than ever. “I can tell you right now,” Benard says. “I’m gonna get a lot of jobs coming next year.”

They also discuss bipolar disorder and how the Emmy winner overcame the illness. “When I was 21, I was in a mental institution for two-and-a-half weeks,” Benard confides. “And I didn’t think I would ever get through it. And I prayed a lot. Because when you’re going through a breakdown or a manic episode, to me, it’s like God and the Devil fighting each other.

“How you get through it is you’ve gotta see someone,” he continues. “You’ve gotta see a therapist. You hope you have your family to love you and support you. And you have to get treatment and you gotta stay on your medication.”

Listen to the entire inspirational interview by clicking here!

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