Earlier this week, General Hospital star Maurice Benard (aka Sonny) spoke at The University of San Diego where his daughter, Cailey, attends classes. At an event hosted by the Psychology Club, the actor discussed his own life and mental health issues, something he is always happy to do. “Over 20 years ago, I made a decision to speak,” he confided on Twitter, “and every time I do, I know I can never stop. I will never stop speaking on the subject. I’m counting on speaking all over the country next year.”

Fans on social media praised the actor for bravely tackling the issues of mental health and his own experience living with bipolar disorder. Many shared their own experiences with being diagnosed and treated for the illness whether for themselves or loved ones. They appreciated Maurice for bringing the important topic to light, both in real life and also on General Hospital, where Sonny and his son, Morgan, have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. “GH came to me over 20 years ago when bipolar was a word nobody ever heard of,” he revealed. “They were very instrumental.”

gh morgan and sonny - jpi
Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

Sonny tried to help Morgan deal with his illness.

Maurice has made no secret of his bipolar disorder diagnosis and hopes that people being open about it can help erase some of the stigma associated with it and other mental health issues. When one fan confessed that she’s had some bad reactions when she tells people she’s bipolar, Maurice responded, “I haven’t had bad reactions. I just tell people I’m proud to be bipolar.”

Still, Maurice urges anyone suffering from mental health issues to see a doctor and get treatment. “I don’t think I’d be here today if I wasn’t medicated,” he admitted. “Whatever you do, do not stop taking your meds. I’m going on 25 years straight and it’s all good. People have to understand mental illness — depression, anxiety, whichever — can be treated. But if not, people are dying, folks!”

Back in 2004, Maurice made his first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss how he realized he needed to seek help and figure out what was wrong with him. And one fan revealed that watching him open up to Oprah Winfrey in a powerful interview was what made her realize that she wasn’t alone in this struggle. “Oprah was the beginning for me,” the Emmy winner replied. “Her inspiration was second to none. What you just wrote was exactly why I did it.”

In Port Charles, Sonny will continue to live with bipolar disorder, and in the real world, Maurice will continue to spread the word and bring awareness to mental health issues by telling his own inspirational story. So keep an eye out, because one day he may be speaking somewhere near you!

This story originally appeared on our sister site, ABC Soaps in Depth. Love GH? Be sure to join our We Love General Hospital Facebook group to chat about all the latest storylines and juicy gossip!