General Hospital's Maurice Benard Conquers One Of His Greatest Fears
In order to maintain authority of a mafia organization that controls the entire Northeastern U.S. sea front, mob boss Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) must not allow anyone to see his fears on "General Hospital," otherwise his enemies could take advantage of his perceived 'weakness.' Sonny not only has claustrophobia — due to the fact that his step-father used to lock him in a closet on occasion (via Soap Dirt) — but also must deal with bipolar disorder, much like Benard does in real life, per TV Overmind. Benard has not been afraid to publicly discuss his mental health.
According to AP News, Benard said quarantining in 2020 was hard on his psychological well-being. He stated in an interview that folks should continue to maintain their health, saying, "You can't let that stop you from working out and eating well. You've got to stay out of your thoughts because that's where the demon is."
Benard was on his "GH" co-star Real Andrews' show "Getting Real," and explained that in order to be in the film "Joy," he had to overcome his fear of flying so he could get to the set in Boston. He also went on to explain that managing his bipolar and anxiety has helped open up more acting opportunities for him, and that Sonny provides a good example for viewers who also deal with mental health issues.
Now, Benard once again faced one of his fears and shared it with his adoring fans.
Maurice Benard confronts his phobias directly
"General Hospital" star Maurice Benard recently faced one of his fears head on and posted a video of it on Instagram. In the video, he recorded himself riding on a roller coaster. He stated that even though he hasn't felt anxiety as seriously as he did during the pandemic, he often likes to "test [his] triggers." He elaborated, explaining, "Disneyland roller coasters is one of them, I know I know they're not that scary to most people, to me, it's nerve-racking. I got a little nervous, more than I've been in a while, and I'm proud to say I really wasn't phased!!! Next I'm going to Graceland in two weeks, I'm ready for you airplane 'you don't scare me'."
Fans were happy for him. Former co-star Ingo Rademacher humorously responded with, "I didn't know adults were allowed on the kiddy coaster." Many fans related to Benard's anxiety with one stating, "You are a super duper role model for all of us."
Benard had previously posted an Instagram video of himself on a different roller coaster writing, "I asked @drdrewpinsky how do I get rid of my anxiety? He said... whatever scares you do it over and over again," referring to Dr. Drew Pinsky who specializes in relationships and addiction, according to his website.
Soap Dirt reported on Benard's previous roller coaster post, adding that the actor assures people that the medication he takes is what got him to where he is now.