Nothing General About It

How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital

By: Maurice Benard

Narrated by: Maurice Benard

Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

"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 25 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 20, 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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Maurice Benard (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

Wow

You get an inside look to the amazing man Maurice Bernard is. He is not just the amazing sonny Corinthians he is a dedicated advocate for mental illness. It is a must for GH fans. I have listen to it twice. His wife Paula is the biggest hero of all

Great book

Love the book! You are amazing it takes great courage to do what you are doing. Your wife is also an amazing woman

Beautiful, honest, incredible, humble.

I absolutely loved this book. Maurice gives us a piece of himself in every chapter. He is bold and honest and I love how you hear the emotion in his voice when he talks about his life and everything and everyone who got him to where he is today. He is so candid about his bipolar diagnosis and his willingness to educate others on mental illness is heartwarming. I also felt like parts of this were a love letter to his wonderful wife who he praises for her strength and ability to help get him through some very dark times. I don’t know what it is like to be in his shoes but he made me understand. I applaud Maurice for having the courage to put his story out there for others learn from. There is help for mental illness, there is light in the darkness. Thank you Maurice.

Amazing

Amazing from beginning to end! As a parent of an adult child that suffers from depression and anxiety this really hit home.

Very authentic

I love Maurice Benard, so maybe I’m a little biased. I thought this audio book was very sincere, authentic, heartfelt, and touching. Maurice bared his heart and soul and for that I am thankful. Bravo Mr. Benard! 👏🏼

Loved it

I can not say enough about this book. The way he shared his life was amazing. This book should be read even if you do not know someone that is bipolar. It will make you laugh and cry.

Now a bigger fan of Maurice Benard

I have been a fan of General Hospital for 30+ years, and this am quite familiar with Maurice Benard as Sonny. However, I more recently discovered his journey with mental illness while researching ways to help my sons with their mental illness. This book is a wonderful story of hope, while still being honest about the ongoing turmoils of mental illness. I think any fan of Maurice Benard will enjoy the audiobook, as his voice is so familiar. And I pray anyone with a loved one with mental illness picks up this book as well...so much information contained within.
Lastly, I now want to meet Paula Benard someday as I think I am a bigger fan of hers than her husband now!! Clearly an extraordinary woman!!!

His sad times with Bipolar

How, Maurice Bernard's opening up about his real life dealing with Bipolar! It's an Amazing Story of the life and times dealing with the Sad Symptoms of the disease. Thank you!

Beautiful story from a beautiful man.

I knew this book would be powerful read/listen, but wow! Maurice doesn’t shy away from any of the painful moments he and his incredible wife have gone thru during his lifelong journey managing his mental illness. I am in awe of both Maurice and Paula for the strength and love they both have and I’m so glad they found each other. I learned so much about bipolar disorder I didn’t know before. Thank you for sharing your story, Maurice. Your honesty and bravery to share such personal hardships with us will undoubtably save lives. I recommend the audio version if you like listening to books. It was a powerful reading by Maurice.

Loved the honesty and willingness to share

... the darkness and the light. I really expected Christ Jesus to make an entrance which he did not. Well told, & well executed! - Maurice held my interest and anticipation throughout the whole story!