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Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital
This shocking true story is General Hospital on anabolic steroids. -- Mehmet Oz, M.D., Emmy Award-winning host of The Dr. Oz Show
The Emmy Award-winning star of General Hospital chronicles his astonishing and emotional life journey in this powerful memoir--an inspiring story of success, show business, and family, and his struggle with mental illness.Maurice Benard has been blessed with family, fame, and a successful career. For twenty-five years, he has played one of the most well-known characters on daytime television: General Hospital's Michael "Sonny" Corinthos, Jr. In his life outside the screen, he is a loving husband and the father of four. But his path has not been without hardship. When he was only twenty, Maurice was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
In Nothing General About It, Maurice looks back to his youth in a small town and his tenuous relationship with his father. He describes how his bipolar disorder began to surface in childhood, how he struggled to understand the jolting mood swings he experienced, and how a doctor finally saved his life. For years Maurice was relentless in his goal to be a successful actor. But even after he "made it," he still grappled with terrifying lows, breakdowns, and setbacks, all while trying desperately to maintain his relationship with his wife, who endured his violent, unpredictable episodes. Maurice holds nothing back as he bravely talks about what it was like to be medicated and institutionalized, and of how he learned to manage his manic episodes while on the set of GH.
Nothing General About It is also an incredible love story about an enduring marriage that demonstrates what those vows--for better, for worse, in sickness and in health--truly mean. Maurice also pays tribute to the community that has been there for him through thick and thin, and ruminates on the importance of both inherited and created family.
A shocking, riveting, and utterly candid memoir of love, adversity, and ultimately hope, Nothing General About It offers insights and advice for everyone trying to cope with mental illness, and is a motivational story that offers lessons in perseverance--of the importance of believing in and fighting for yourself through the darkest times.
Supplemental Enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
The Emmy Award-winning star of General Hospital chronicles his astonishing and emotional life journey in this powerful memoir--an inspiring story of success, show business, and family, and his struggle with mental illness.Maurice Benard has been blessed with family, fame, and a successful career. For twenty-five years, he has played one of the most well-known characters on daytime television: General Hospital's Michael "Sonny" Corinthos, Jr. In his life outside the screen, he is a loving husband and the father of four. But his path has not been without hardship. When he was only twenty, Maurice was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
In Nothing General About It, Maurice looks back to his youth in a small town and his tenuous relationship with his father. He describes how his bipolar disorder began to surface in childhood, how he struggled to understand the jolting mood swings he experienced, and how a doctor finally saved his life. For years Maurice was relentless in his goal to be a successful actor. But even after he "made it," he still grappled with terrifying lows, breakdowns, and setbacks, all while trying desperately to maintain his relationship with his wife, who endured his violent, unpredictable episodes. Maurice holds nothing back as he bravely talks about what it was like to be medicated and institutionalized, and of how he learned to manage his manic episodes while on the set of GH.
Nothing General About It is also an incredible love story about an enduring marriage that demonstrates what those vows--for better, for worse, in sickness and in health--truly mean. Maurice also pays tribute to the community that has been there for him through thick and thin, and ruminates on the importance of both inherited and created family.
A shocking, riveting, and utterly candid memoir of love, adversity, and ultimately hope, Nothing General About It offers insights and advice for everyone trying to cope with mental illness, and is a motivational story that offers lessons in perseverance--of the importance of believing in and fighting for yourself through the darkest times.
Supplemental Enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
1 pages, Audio CD
Published April 7, 2020
218 people are currently reading
682 people want to read
About the author
Maurice Benard
1 book22 followersMaurice Benard is an American actor. In 1993, he was cast as Sonny Corinthos on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. Bernard has been nominated for several Daytime Emmy awards for his role of Sonny Corinthos, winning Outstanding Lead Actor in 2003 and 2019. He is a spokesperson for treatment of bipolar disorder with Mental Health America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
March 9, 2020
So, I flew through this book very quickly. This is extremely personal for me, as someone who has struggled with depression myself and who has a bipolar mother (who I've seen on AND off lithium). I have witnessed a breakdown and it is the worst thing I've ever experienced -- I never want to see anyone like that again. It's horrifying and it breaks your heart. They are not themselves, they are truly someone else.
This book is very stream of consciousness and it's obvious he wrote it himself, as the writing style is really informal. But it's earnest and emotional, he really puts it all out there. I also am a longtime fan of GH and the ABC soaps, some of my earliest memories are watching Sonny deliver Morgan and Courtney's death. My Mom taped them every day when she worked and we would watch them together. This is a great own voices memoir for mental illness and I'd recommend it, even if you're not a GH fan (it will mean a lot more if you are though).
This book is very stream of consciousness and it's obvious he wrote it himself, as the writing style is really informal. But it's earnest and emotional, he really puts it all out there. I also am a longtime fan of GH and the ABC soaps, some of my earliest memories are watching Sonny deliver Morgan and Courtney's death. My Mom taped them every day when she worked and we would watch them together. This is a great own voices memoir for mental illness and I'd recommend it, even if you're not a GH fan (it will mean a lot more if you are though).
April 8, 2020
My favorite celebrity memoirs are those that are honest and heartfelt, that show a side of the individual not always seen in the spotlight. Maurice Benard does just that with his new book, out today. Although he has publicly been a mental health advocate for years, this book goes into an unbelievable amount of detail relaying his experiences growing up, coming to terms with his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and, of course, his successful acting career. I mean, who doesn’t know Sonny on General Hospital, whether you are a devoted fan of soap operas or not?!
The book reads with an authentic tone and voice; Benard holds nothing back here, taking accountability for choices throughout his life and advocating for the importance of mental health awareness and care throughout. Readers are sure to walk away from this one learning a lot!
Many thanks to William Morrow for gifting me this finished copy! All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
The book reads with an authentic tone and voice; Benard holds nothing back here, taking accountability for choices throughout his life and advocating for the importance of mental health awareness and care throughout. Readers are sure to walk away from this one learning a lot!
Many thanks to William Morrow for gifting me this finished copy! All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
April 20, 2020
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Beth Mowbray
“Career success and awards aside, I had found that the real purpose for me on earth is teaching young actors and sharing my story about mental health with others — and using the voice I’d discovered to erase the stigma.”
My favorite celebrity memoirs are those that are honest and heartfelt, that show a side of the individual not always seen in the spotlight. Maurice Benard does just that with his new book, Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital. Although he has publicly been a mental health advocate for years, receiving many awards and much recognition for his work, this book captures in writing his experiences growing up, coming to terms with his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and all the while maintaining a successful acting career. I mean, who doesn’t know Sonny on General Hospital, whether you are a devoted fan of soap operas or not?!
There is a real honesty in this memoir. From detailed descriptions of not just anxiety and depression, but also hallucinations and delusions — the kind of mental health symptoms we still don’t see discussed publicly very often — to the bright parts of his life, such as faith and love for his family, Benard does not hold anything back. He starts at the very beginning with his childhood and difficulties in his family life growing up. He also pays tribute to his closest friends, many of whom he lost too soon. As referenced in the book’s subtitle, Nothing General About It is as much a tribute to his wife, the powerful influence she’s had in his life and his love for her, as it is his own story. And fans of General Hospital will be pleased to see that there is plenty of discussion about Benard’s experiences playing the iconic character of Sonny Corinthos, while he also discusses how the parallels between his life and that of Sonny have been both a blessing and a curse over the years.
There are so many lessons to be gleaned from the way Benard discusses living with bipolar disorder in this book. Looking back, he is able to connect that many of his behaviors and symptoms in his younger years make a lot more sense now in the context of his diagnosis. He also conveys the relief of finally getting an actual diagnosis and therefore knowing there was a treatment, that he could feel better! He relays the difficulties of first beginning to speak up about his mental health issues many years ago, not only as an actor in the public eye but also as a Latino man, due to the cultural expectations for what each of these roles are “supposed” to mean. Although this mental health stigma has decreased somewhat over time, it continues to be an issue near to Benard’s heart and one that he continues to speak up about. As indicated by the subtitle of the book, he discusses going back and forth, on and off medications as well as in and out of therapy, and how he finally decided to stick with it because he was tired of how he felt. (It is worth nothing that Benard has now been on Lithium for 27 years consecutively, with no significant “breakdowns” as he calls them!) There is even a list in the back of the book to help connect individuals with resources they may need to obtain help for their own mental health issues.
This memoir reads with an authentic tone and voice. From beginning to end, Benard takes an objective look back at his life and stresses the importance of mental health awareness and care. Readers are sure to walk away from this one learning a lot! Many thanks to William Morrow for the finished copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Nothing General About It is available now!
“Career success and awards aside, I had found that the real purpose for me on earth is teaching young actors and sharing my story about mental health with others — and using the voice I’d discovered to erase the stigma.”
My favorite celebrity memoirs are those that are honest and heartfelt, that show a side of the individual not always seen in the spotlight. Maurice Benard does just that with his new book, Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital. Although he has publicly been a mental health advocate for years, receiving many awards and much recognition for his work, this book captures in writing his experiences growing up, coming to terms with his diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and all the while maintaining a successful acting career. I mean, who doesn’t know Sonny on General Hospital, whether you are a devoted fan of soap operas or not?!
There is a real honesty in this memoir. From detailed descriptions of not just anxiety and depression, but also hallucinations and delusions — the kind of mental health symptoms we still don’t see discussed publicly very often — to the bright parts of his life, such as faith and love for his family, Benard does not hold anything back. He starts at the very beginning with his childhood and difficulties in his family life growing up. He also pays tribute to his closest friends, many of whom he lost too soon. As referenced in the book’s subtitle, Nothing General About It is as much a tribute to his wife, the powerful influence she’s had in his life and his love for her, as it is his own story. And fans of General Hospital will be pleased to see that there is plenty of discussion about Benard’s experiences playing the iconic character of Sonny Corinthos, while he also discusses how the parallels between his life and that of Sonny have been both a blessing and a curse over the years.
There are so many lessons to be gleaned from the way Benard discusses living with bipolar disorder in this book. Looking back, he is able to connect that many of his behaviors and symptoms in his younger years make a lot more sense now in the context of his diagnosis. He also conveys the relief of finally getting an actual diagnosis and therefore knowing there was a treatment, that he could feel better! He relays the difficulties of first beginning to speak up about his mental health issues many years ago, not only as an actor in the public eye but also as a Latino man, due to the cultural expectations for what each of these roles are “supposed” to mean. Although this mental health stigma has decreased somewhat over time, it continues to be an issue near to Benard’s heart and one that he continues to speak up about. As indicated by the subtitle of the book, he discusses going back and forth, on and off medications as well as in and out of therapy, and how he finally decided to stick with it because he was tired of how he felt. (It is worth nothing that Benard has now been on Lithium for 27 years consecutively, with no significant “breakdowns” as he calls them!) There is even a list in the back of the book to help connect individuals with resources they may need to obtain help for their own mental health issues.
This memoir reads with an authentic tone and voice. From beginning to end, Benard takes an objective look back at his life and stresses the importance of mental health awareness and care. Readers are sure to walk away from this one learning a lot! Many thanks to William Morrow for the finished copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Nothing General About It is available now!
September 28, 2020
3.5 STARS
Maurice Bernard openly tells the story of his tumultuous childhood, diagnosis of bipolar disorder, stints in psych hospitals, the tumult he put his wife through, his career ups and downs, never shying away or excusing bad behavior that can sometimes be attributed to mental illness.
As a psychologist, I appreciate his openness. He was one of the first famous men to be open about his mental health struggles, often more difficult for Latinos due to cultural stigma. A lot of what Bernard shares makes him look like a jerk, particularly in his younger years with his treatment of his then girlfriend, his wife Paula. I understand that a symptom of bipolar mania can be heightened sexual arousal, but it’s still not an excuse for cheating, which Bernard acknowledges. Like I said, he never tries to excuse his behavior. Everyone suffering from mental illness should have a partner like Paula, though I wouldn’t recommend every Paula staying in certain situations unless she (or he) wanted to. No one would have blamed her from walking away, because in sickness and health doesn’t mean martyrdom. Bernard is often a wonderful husband and partner and is. He is a lot of work, and has worked very hard to become the man he is today. I have a lot of respect for both of them. I admire his capacity for love and forgiveness.
At times the story becomes bogged down with details that just didn’t interest me, like details of multiple fights during his youth. I loved the part about General Hospital and his acting career most.
NOTHING GENERAL ABOUT IT is a story of a famous, privileged man’s struggle with his mental illness. Bernard always had access to mental health treatment, the best available, which shouldn’t make him privileged, but it does, which he recognizes.
Bernard’s story has the potential to help many people, something he’s been doing with regards to mental illness for decades.
Maurice Bernard openly tells the story of his tumultuous childhood, diagnosis of bipolar disorder, stints in psych hospitals, the tumult he put his wife through, his career ups and downs, never shying away or excusing bad behavior that can sometimes be attributed to mental illness.
As a psychologist, I appreciate his openness. He was one of the first famous men to be open about his mental health struggles, often more difficult for Latinos due to cultural stigma. A lot of what Bernard shares makes him look like a jerk, particularly in his younger years with his treatment of his then girlfriend, his wife Paula. I understand that a symptom of bipolar mania can be heightened sexual arousal, but it’s still not an excuse for cheating, which Bernard acknowledges. Like I said, he never tries to excuse his behavior. Everyone suffering from mental illness should have a partner like Paula, though I wouldn’t recommend every Paula staying in certain situations unless she (or he) wanted to. No one would have blamed her from walking away, because in sickness and health doesn’t mean martyrdom. Bernard is often a wonderful husband and partner and is. He is a lot of work, and has worked very hard to become the man he is today. I have a lot of respect for both of them. I admire his capacity for love and forgiveness.
At times the story becomes bogged down with details that just didn’t interest me, like details of multiple fights during his youth. I loved the part about General Hospital and his acting career most.
NOTHING GENERAL ABOUT IT is a story of a famous, privileged man’s struggle with his mental illness. Bernard always had access to mental health treatment, the best available, which shouldn’t make him privileged, but it does, which he recognizes.
Bernard’s story has the potential to help many people, something he’s been doing with regards to mental illness for decades.
January 19, 2021
An interesting look into Maurice Benard's life, from his childhood to his over 25 years of playing the very popular character Sonny Corinthos on General Hospital. I have watched GH since childhood & it was an interesting look into some of the people he has worked with and the storylines he has been a part of. GH though is not the focus of the story Maurice shares. Just like his character, Maurice struggles with bipolar and anxiety. He shares with the reader his lifelong struggles with his condition, the highs and lows of his career and the wonderful life he has built with his family. I have always been a fan of Sonny. By him sharing his struggles, I appreciate what that has helped him bring to the character to make Sonny more than just a mob boss.
August 16, 2020
I was not familiar with this actor before this book, but I find it impressive when anyone decides to write about a particularly personal struggle with the taboo subject of mental illness.
It is not the best written book you’ll ever read BUT Maurice Benard has shared his journey into the darkness and he should be applauded for doing so considering that this must have been a difficult path for him.
As a lead actor on the daytime soap opera “General Hospital” for over 25 years he intersperses his own struggles with those of the character he plays on TV, Sonny, a mob kingpin.
Good actor, bad actor, mediocre actor I have no idea but I commend his effort to share his very personal and difficult story with the public.
If it is helpful to even one person dealing with similar issues then he has done a great job.
It is not the best written book you’ll ever read BUT Maurice Benard has shared his journey into the darkness and he should be applauded for doing so considering that this must have been a difficult path for him.
As a lead actor on the daytime soap opera “General Hospital” for over 25 years he intersperses his own struggles with those of the character he plays on TV, Sonny, a mob kingpin.
Good actor, bad actor, mediocre actor I have no idea but I commend his effort to share his very personal and difficult story with the public.
If it is helpful to even one person dealing with similar issues then he has done a great job.
November 17, 2025
I absolutely loved Maurice Benard's memoir, Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital, for many reasons; both as someone who's a HUGE fan of soap operas, and as someone who has struggled with their own mental health over the years. Benard's memoir is definitely very well written and incredibly touching! 😀
My rating/score: 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads' rating system / 10 out of 10 on my own personal scoring system.
My rating/score: 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads' rating system / 10 out of 10 on my own personal scoring system.
March 22, 2020
Benard is bracingly honest about his mental health journey, as well as his work to unlearn toxic masculine behavior passed along from his dad. For any of his social media followers, this is the same kind and empathic Maurice Benard you know. Very little hot goss about GH - he claims to be friends with just about everyone he mentions - but definitely worth a read for fans. Made me cry more than a few times.
April 24, 2025
This is a strange, depressing memoir in which the author lays all his faults and vices out on paper while balancing it with overpraise for his family, friends, and coworkers. He has to be admired for having the guts to make public his numerous issues, including mental health problems, but his insecurities and self-loathing are so far from the character he plays on General Hospital that it's hard to feel good about him.
Benard's upbringing is pretty shocking, with parental abuse having a big impact on him as well as his going to see the movie The Exorcist as a child. He not only sleeps around with a lot of woman as a teen, openly cheating on his girlfriend, but he gets in a lot of fights and starts to have mental issues where he hears voices, sees the devil, and encounters images in the dark. He's put into a psych ward and eventually is diagnosed bipolar. He claims his medication saved him, along with a girl he met at a mall who became his loving supportive wife, but he never seems to get a grip on it and throughout his life he is filled with anxiety.
What surprised me most was he pushes medication on people with mental health issues but he himself wasn't cured with the lithium he takes daily. He to this day has huge anxiety attacks, rarely gets on a plane, fights with producers and directors, and goes 3 or 4 days without sleep. If there were a happy ending to this book it might alter how I felt about it, but his attempt to spin everything positive by telling us how great his wife and kids are just makes his own problems even greater.
He certainly likes to praise himself as well when he gets an award or gets involved in a non-profit or discusses his loves of animals. I have plenty of theories and ideas for him--the basic one being that if he is so highly strung with anxiety, why not quit the TV and movie career that causes him all the stress and devote his life to non-profit work for mental health or animals? Instead of medicating and causing everyone around him problems, why doesn't he do something to get rid of the triggers and help those he truly cares about?
He doesn't--he accepts film roles that freak him out and is on a TV show almost five days a week that causes him to panic, resulting in his wife holding his hand and almost acting like a mother to the childlike performer--telling him he must do something and constantly soothing his fears. It reminded me of dealing with a little kid that always wants attention and will say or do anything to get it instead of taking responsibility for his own actions and emotions.
I had read elsewhere that he had a spiritual side but there's not a lot of detail about that in the book, only a passing reference to his Catholic upbringing and how he meditates. That too is something to look into regarding potential solutions for his problems.
The book was ultimately unsatisfying. While I admire Benard for being willing to open up, the book feels like it's more of a therapy exercise in which he's trying to convince his family and friends that he appreciates them no matter how he has treated them. He's like that wild child in the family who is constantly doing naughty things, then gets incredibly overly emotional when someone is hurt or dies. He didn't attend his best friend's funeral, his son doesn't say "I love you" to him, he had a number of co-stars that worked with him leave shows after his repeated bl0w-ups on set. You'd think he'd have a bit more introspection as to the real cause of these issues and how to truly change instead of just blaming it on a mental health diagnosis. It's an issue that is not as easily solved with medication as he makes it sound in the subtitle of the book.
Benard's upbringing is pretty shocking, with parental abuse having a big impact on him as well as his going to see the movie The Exorcist as a child. He not only sleeps around with a lot of woman as a teen, openly cheating on his girlfriend, but he gets in a lot of fights and starts to have mental issues where he hears voices, sees the devil, and encounters images in the dark. He's put into a psych ward and eventually is diagnosed bipolar. He claims his medication saved him, along with a girl he met at a mall who became his loving supportive wife, but he never seems to get a grip on it and throughout his life he is filled with anxiety.
What surprised me most was he pushes medication on people with mental health issues but he himself wasn't cured with the lithium he takes daily. He to this day has huge anxiety attacks, rarely gets on a plane, fights with producers and directors, and goes 3 or 4 days without sleep. If there were a happy ending to this book it might alter how I felt about it, but his attempt to spin everything positive by telling us how great his wife and kids are just makes his own problems even greater.
He certainly likes to praise himself as well when he gets an award or gets involved in a non-profit or discusses his loves of animals. I have plenty of theories and ideas for him--the basic one being that if he is so highly strung with anxiety, why not quit the TV and movie career that causes him all the stress and devote his life to non-profit work for mental health or animals? Instead of medicating and causing everyone around him problems, why doesn't he do something to get rid of the triggers and help those he truly cares about?
He doesn't--he accepts film roles that freak him out and is on a TV show almost five days a week that causes him to panic, resulting in his wife holding his hand and almost acting like a mother to the childlike performer--telling him he must do something and constantly soothing his fears. It reminded me of dealing with a little kid that always wants attention and will say or do anything to get it instead of taking responsibility for his own actions and emotions.
I had read elsewhere that he had a spiritual side but there's not a lot of detail about that in the book, only a passing reference to his Catholic upbringing and how he meditates. That too is something to look into regarding potential solutions for his problems.
The book was ultimately unsatisfying. While I admire Benard for being willing to open up, the book feels like it's more of a therapy exercise in which he's trying to convince his family and friends that he appreciates them no matter how he has treated them. He's like that wild child in the family who is constantly doing naughty things, then gets incredibly overly emotional when someone is hurt or dies. He didn't attend his best friend's funeral, his son doesn't say "I love you" to him, he had a number of co-stars that worked with him leave shows after his repeated bl0w-ups on set. You'd think he'd have a bit more introspection as to the real cause of these issues and how to truly change instead of just blaming it on a mental health diagnosis. It's an issue that is not as easily solved with medication as he makes it sound in the subtitle of the book.
July 14, 2020
A very real, raw depiction of Maurice Benard's struggle with bipolar disorder. Diagnosed at age 22, but not feeling right long before that, being placed in the locked ward of a mental hospital, trying to find the right medication and therapy. Doing the bipolar story line on General Hospital is difficult for him because it can take him to the dark places he knows all too well. He seems to be in a much better place these days. I will watch him with a lot more empathy now.
August 14, 2024
I loved the book! The personal story of my favorite GH soap star, Maurice Benard's journey of living/struggling/coping with Bipolar since he was 22.. The book was raw sharing his own story & another platform he has used for mental health awareness.
The wonderful message he expressed of how important it is to keep going & moving forward each day and all the blessings in his life that he is thankful for that he talked about in the book.
He's such an amazing person to share his story with the world !
The wonderful message he expressed of how important it is to keep going & moving forward each day and all the blessings in his life that he is thankful for that he talked about in the book.
He's such an amazing person to share his story with the world !
December 18, 2021
Audible.com Narrated by Maurice Benard
3.5 stars I have a step-daughter who has bi-polar and deals with anxiety, and I had hoped this book would give me more insight into her problems. However Mr. Benard's story is very different than hers. I am glad to see him bringing the spotlight onto mental health and how it hit anyone. Our daughter was a bright student and after college focused on her
career, new husband and family. Slowly, her world began to unravel, and it took decades to find help, a diagnosis, then the struggle to find a drug that helped and a good therapist.. She's come a long way, but the hardest part has been trying to explain "I have a mental disease,"
3.5 stars I have a step-daughter who has bi-polar and deals with anxiety, and I had hoped this book would give me more insight into her problems. However Mr. Benard's story is very different than hers. I am glad to see him bringing the spotlight onto mental health and how it hit anyone. Our daughter was a bright student and after college focused on her
career, new husband and family. Slowly, her world began to unravel, and it took decades to find help, a diagnosis, then the struggle to find a drug that helped and a good therapist.. She's come a long way, but the hardest part has been trying to explain "I have a mental disease,"
July 3, 2024
Gosh, I love Maurice and I love this book.
June 13, 2021
Loved. Loved. Loved. I listened to this on audio and I felt like I was in the same room with Maurice while he was telling the story of his life. I've been watching him on General Hospital since 1994. He has always been my favorite and I was so happy when this came out. Such an incredible insight into his life and struggle with bipolar disorder.
August 30, 2020
This was a very captivating read, as I have been a huge fan of General Hospital for many, many years having watched it with my Mom. I had heard awhile back that Maurice Benard, who plays Sonny, was bipolar. What an extraordinary life he has led, battling with mental illness, and still having a wife and children, while dealing with his own demons. The love of his wife and the doctors who have treated him over the years, a successful career and a family that stood by him and all the hard work he did himself from taking his medication to therapy. Maurice is also a spokesman talking about his bipolar and mental illness throughout the country. I have great respect for him as a man, a husband and father. I have always loved his character, Sonny, on General Hospital, as he is also a wonderful actor.
April 12, 2020
Maurice Benard’s Nothing General About It is a courageous autobiographical journey. It reveals his parallel and intertwining challenges of building a successful career, family and struggle with mental health.
While the book will be most meaningful for fans of General Hospital but others will appreciate the struggles of a life managing bipolar disorder and anxiety. The actor is to be commended for sharing his personal challenges in a way that can inspire others with similar mental health challenges. Those that don’t battle those particular challenges, can admire Maurice Bernard for accomplishing all that he has given what he shared in the book.
I’d say that content trumps writing style and form here.
While the book will be most meaningful for fans of General Hospital but others will appreciate the struggles of a life managing bipolar disorder and anxiety. The actor is to be commended for sharing his personal challenges in a way that can inspire others with similar mental health challenges. Those that don’t battle those particular challenges, can admire Maurice Bernard for accomplishing all that he has given what he shared in the book.
I’d say that content trumps writing style and form here.
January 21, 2025
I couldn’t love this more. I am usually let down by autobiographies because they either don’t have “go there” moments or they ignore the acting role/roles that I love them for. Maurice (I can call him that because I feel like we’re friends now) does both with perfection. Starting from childhood, he shows you more than just highlights while weaving all the story lines and actors you love along the way. He’s honestly, brave, humble and generous throughout the book. I was so enthralled I read it in a few hours. His wife Paula truly is a earthly Angel, who has her own story and would love to read a book by her, learning where her internal strength comes from. Thanks Mo for the share.
January 14, 2025
I am unfamiliar with the actor but I am now going to be on the lookout for his work in movies. He has played Sonny for over 30 years but I don't watch soap operas and I doubt that I'll be watching it anytime soon.
I appreciate his personal story of depression and bipolar disorder. He is very brave in allowing the reader to know about his struggles and vulnerability, we need that today, especially coming from a male. I am glad that the author read his own audiobook which carried the full impact of his story. A solid 4 stars
I appreciate his personal story of depression and bipolar disorder. He is very brave in allowing the reader to know about his struggles and vulnerability, we need that today, especially coming from a male. I am glad that the author read his own audiobook which carried the full impact of his story. A solid 4 stars
January 20, 2023
I had never watched All My Children or General Hospital so I was not familiar with this actor but reading the reviews and finding he was bipolar sounded interesting. It was kind of funny when he wrote about the plots of General Hospital because those complex plots were so typical of the genre. I got a little bored about 75% in and found myself checking to see how much I had left to read. He wrote about working with organizations that treated and helped people with mental illness which is a good thing, but his writing about them and the people involved in them was not that interesting to me.
September 15, 2021
I have been watching General Hospital for as long as I can remember. I love Maurice Benard. I was so moved while listening to him detail the stories of his issues with mental health and his struggle for a diagnosis and for being treated. He didn't hold anything back and many times his voice cracked during some of the more emotional moments. This was a great listen.
January 14, 2021
I assumed it would be a bit of fluff reading but the book was good. He really paints a picture of his bipolar disorder and life as an actor. I really enjoyed it. Was kind of disappointed when it ended.
February 14, 2024
Thanks to my sister and fellow GH watcher, Ellen! She bought me
This book for my birthday. What an amazing man and how much he has done to make people aware of others who struggle with mental health issues! Thoroughly Inspirational and honest!
This book for my birthday. What an amazing man and how much he has done to make people aware of others who struggle with mental health issues! Thoroughly Inspirational and honest!
February 23, 2024
This biography is such a great read. It is powerful, emotional, humorous, raw, and uplifting. It takes so much courage to open yourself up to the public in the way that Maurice Benard has. He is a true role model who has my respect. He is making a difference and helping save lives by sharing his story. Definitely worth a read.
May 4, 2020
What a powerful story! He's such an inspiration to so many, & has been through so much. I won't look at him in quite the same way again.
April 19, 2021
I liked it. I always find it interesting when people share this way. After fighting for years with anxiety, it's a good thing to not feel alone. I enjoyed this ruse above story.
October 2, 2021
EXCELLENT
August 29, 2025
Absolutely loved this book! The challenges that Maurice faced and shared with us were heartbreaking. Met him a couple years ago. Very down to earth gentleman.
September 8, 2020
I listened to this book on Audible in two days...so clearly it captured my attention! If you are a GH fan, it’s a most read. If you know anyone with a mental illness, or have one yourself, it’s a must read.
July 19, 2020
Great read on bipolar and even better if you are a GH fan.
March 21, 2020
I’ve been a Sonny and Brenda since forever ! I absolutely adore this man for all that he gives to his fans and his true love story with his wife is so beautiful! His social media that is so inspiring and especially to view the special relationships he has with all his co-workers (“inherited family” ♥️♥️) friends and family is so genuine & truly inspiring! Thanks Maurice for all that you do!
I can’t wait to read his book!
I can’t wait to read his book!
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