Maurice Benard Shares an Important Message With Fans

Every year, October 10 is World Mental Health Day, meant to raise awareness of mental health and fight against social stigma. GENERAL HOSPITAL star Maurice Benard (Sonny) is an outspoken advocate for mental health, sharing his own story in his bestselling memoir Nothing General About It and helping others share theirs through his State of Mind series.

So naturally, when World Mental Health Day came around this year, Benard took the occasion to share some inspirational words of wisdom. “I woke up the other day and went for a walk,” the GH actor said on Instagram. “Beautiful day and my mind said, ‘I want to change the world.’ We all have the capacity to change the world in one way or another, but it’s our thoughts that prevent us from achieving.

“With the chaos that’s around us in the world, what we really need is peace and love,” the actor continued. “I know it sounds cliche and simple. Sometimes the fix is just looking in the mirror. I beg everybody not to listen to your fears and negativity. Listen to your heart and do what needs to be done to change the world but especially yourself!”

General Hospital Carly Sonny — Benard had his own struggle with bipolar disorder written into Sonny’s storyline on GH.Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

In his Instagram post, Benard also shared a video showing the relaxing view in his yard of a small pond with water fountains. “Do you hear that?” he says, panning the camera on his phone around to show himself sitting in the gazebo. “That’s the sound of peace. I can just sit out here and look at that water, the trees, the sky, the clouds…”

Then Benard exhales deeply. “Just breathe,” he declares. “That’s what we need to do. You don’t have to have this or that. You can breathe anywhere. You gotta breathe. And feel the peace.” He then pans back over to the fountains and the soothing sound of the water before returning the camera to himself to say “Hot diggity dog” and remind everyone once again to “breathe.”

Good advice. And something we can all do every day of the year, not just on World Mental Health Day.

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