General Hospital (GH) star Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) welcomed WWE’s AJ Mendez on Sunday night’s State of Mind podcast.
His guest, widely recognized by wrestling fans as AJ Lee, joined the ABC actor to discuss the realities of her upbringing and the pressures of professional wrestling.
Of course, with the real-life Sonny Corinthos, they also discussed bipolar disorder. Read on to find out more.
A Book And A Missing Notebook
Maurice Benard kicked off his podcast with a laugh after realizing he’d left his trusty interview notebook at home. He calls his notes his “Bible” because he writes down everything.
However, he didn’t panic because he knew his guest was an “incredibly talented writer.”
Maurice held up her book, “Crazy is My Superpower,” and read the subtitle, “How I triumphed by breaking bones, breaking hearts, and breaking the rules.”
He admitted he little about wrestling, but he noted that everyone knows exactly who AJ Mendez is.
Fighting To Be Tough
Benard asked if being a “tomboy” marked the start of her “tough” persona. AJ explained that she “didn’t connect to softness or femininity” as a child.
She noted that society back then forced girls to “internalize that misogyny” and reject anything feminine just to appear strong.
Growing up, she felt she had to choose between being pretty or being powerful. She desperately wanted to feel strong when she actually felt the exact opposite.
Because of that, she leaned into boyish habits and got into physical fights.
Wrestling seemed like a natural next step for someone who used her fists to solve problems.
Sometimes life forces you to throw punches just to find out whether you can break a knuckle before you break a heart.
The Character vs The Reality
AJ Lee described her famous WWE ring persona as “the opposite of my character on television.”
She called the wrestling version a “bold version of me, a meaner version of me, but a necessary version.”
Additionally, she told Maurice Benard that she actually likes that fierce side of herself now.
Mental Health
As usual, the conversation turned to mental health and family history. AJ opened up about her mom’s own struggles and how she learned from them. Her mother also lived with bipolar disorder.
To handle her own dark days, AJ separated her true self from her condition. She even named her dark side “Jean.”
Apparently, giving the depression a name helped her distance herself from the illness and find “the tools” to return to the spotlight with genuine confidence.
She also spoke about how managing negative thoughts can feel paramount when living with bipolar disorder.
Maurice weighed in on that, talking about waking up with dark thoughts. But choosing not to feed them. In other words, thoughts arrive, but he deals with them by not assuming they’re the whole truth.
Viewers React
Fans of General Hospital soon hit the comments section. They love the way Maurice Benard shines the spotlight on mental health. And of course, many of them admire AJ Mendez.
One viewer wrote: “What struck me most was not the wrestling discussion, it was the honesty between two people who both live with bipolar disorder.”
Here are a few more responses from State of Mind and GH fans:
- I also used to view my negative thoughts as an outside force trying to ruin my day, but it kept me in a loop of constant fighting. What finally brought me peace was when a therapist suggested I do the exact opposite: treating those thoughts as absolutely me, acknowledging them gently.
- I’m always amazed at how resilient the human spirit is.
- Thank you so much AJ.. and Thank you Mr Benard for having her.
- The Internet promotes isolation which is a cause of suicide. Being busy and productive and proud of yourself is the cure.
An Interesting Comment
Now that last comment seems intriguing. Certainly, there seems to be some truth there. At least in the first bit. But, the comment suggests that productivity and pride in work are the antidotes to isolation.
Research suggests that urpose matters. Accomplishment matters. Feeling useful matters. There’s a reason many retired people struggle when structure disappears from their lives.
Having work, hobbies, routines, or caring responsibilities can be protective.
But, the SPRC and Maurice himself have often talked about family, friends and connections.
The website explains: “Positive and supportive social relationships and community connections can help buffer the effects of risk factors in people’s lives.”
And perhaps the importance there is the word “buffer,” rather than “cure.”
Still, that’s not to say the commenter was wrong. Perhaps it’s simply an autobiographical feeling to them.
But what folks love about Maurice Benard and his guests is that they communicate intentionally. Through the internet, day-to-day posts about life, meet-and-greets, and interviews, they remind people that connection still matters
What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below, and remember to come back here often for all your General Hospital cast news and updates.