Nothing General About It
Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved me On and Off General Hospital by Maurice Benard with Susan Black
Published: April 13, 2021
Mental illness has always carried a certain stigma, but the brain is a human organ that can succumb to illness like any other part of the body. Society doesn’t judge those diagnosed with cancer, liver disease, or heart disease — why judge individuals facing similarly devastating diagnoses of mental illness? In his biography, Nothing General About It: How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital, Maurice Benard shares his personal experiences, pre- and post-diagnosis.
Maurice, born Mauricio Jose Morales, began life with a loving, yet somewhat dysfunctional family: his father, while promiscuous away from home, used a belt to maintain order within its walls, while his mother suffered in silence at her inability to stop the abuse or her husband’s philandering. Young Maurice was terrified of his father’s anger and had a sensitive nature that hindered his ability to shrug it off like his older brother. As a young Hispanic boy, he was expected to be tough and hide all fear and sadness, further complicating his ability to cope with these emotions.
As Maurice gets older, his mental and emotional states deteriorate. Unfortunately, since he has not been provided with the language to address his issues, let alone the resources to resolve them, he begins self-medicating. Though underage, he drinks copiously and sleeps around in a vain attempt to dull his pain and ease his anger. Maurice is soon diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and briefly placed in a mental hospital. Suffering from terrifying hallucinations, he eventually receives treatment and counseling, and is at last able to return to his career.
However, Maurice continues to struggle, making questionable decisions in his personal life and at times seeming to spiral out of control. Though the support he receives from friends and family helps, Maurice comes to realize that medication and counseling need to be a permanent part of his life in order for him to thrive.
This book is powerfully relevant today. Though some progress has been made in destigmatizing mental illness, it remains a serious challenge, often with dire consequences. How many lives could be saved by providing an open conversation so that people can get help before tragedy occurs? How many suicides, crimes, or incidents of self-harm could we prevent? As long as individuals with these illnesses are silenced by shame, unnecessary — and often irreparable — harm will occur.
Benard hopes that his biography will help those suffering from mental illness as he has, but his story is more than one of finding companionship through shared experiences. He offers an example of mending parental relationships damaged by abuse, as well as a proud declaration of the fact that men can be emotional and vulnerable, too. Benard’s wife, Paula, is an example of a strong and resilient woman who stands by her partner through his challenges. Though their relationship is one of trials and tribulations, they remain committed to one another.
Benard remains an active spokesperson for mental health awareness, and speaks openly about it on his weekly podcast, State Of Mind. A New York Times best seller and the winner of a Christopher Award, Nothing General About It is a powerful advocation for increasing mental health awareness and a bold statement of support for individuals who suffer from mental disorders.
Laura Austin has been published in several anthologies and online literary magazines, and has served as a judge for Ageless Authors.