Maurice
Maurice
Having bipolar disorder doesn’t mean you can’t be successful
Diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was 22, Maurice remembers being hospitalized —at times being so manic, he experienced psychosis. Like many people, Maurice has to take medication daily to remain healthy.
I have been on medication for the last 30 years, and I learned a long time ago that those medications are what help me stay balanced.
Otherwise, bipolar takes hold and I become someone I don’t want to be.
When I take my medication, everything is great. When I don’t, it’s a problem.
After his diagnosis, people within show business advised him against admitting publicly that he had bipolar disorder. Maurice decided to open up about his conditions in Soap Opera Magazine, and the initial response was positive.
“Being open about having bipolar is something that is very important to me because by being open, I know I am helping people.”
Then, the star of General Hospital appeared on Oprah and told millions of viewers around the world that he was living with a mental health disorder.
That was a really positive experience, and people started coming up to me and thanking me for being brave and for showing the world that anyone can have a mental health condition.
From that point on, I’ve made it my mission to fight against the stigma of mental health and do what I can to help other people like me.
Maurice has been so open about his experience with mental health, the show’s writers worked with him to develop a storyline to include his character, Sonny, and his character’s son both being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Being open about having bipolar is something that is very important to me because by being open, I know I am helping people.
Whether it is helping them understand the condition, helping them relate to someone else who has a mental health condition, or simply by showing them that having bipolar or any other mental health disorder doesn’t mean you can’t be successful.
Be sure to check out this great video featuring Maurice as he talks about his experience with bipolar disorder.
