Big Sad News 😭 General Hospital Chris McKenna | Very Heart Breaking News ! It Will Shock You.
General Hospital Star Chris McKenna Opens Up About Bipolar Disorder and His Darkest Mental Health Struggles
Chris McKenna, best known to daytime viewers for his role on General Hospital, is bravely sharing one of the most painful chapters of his life. In a deeply emotional conversation on Maurice Benard’s State of Mind podcast, the actor opened up about his long, hidden battle with mental illness and how it nearly cost him everything.
McKenna revealed that for most of his life, he lived with an undiagnosed mood disorder. Though he found success in television and appeared outwardly stable, internally he was struggling with symptoms he didn’t yet understand. The One Life to Live alum, who played Joey as a child actor, explained that he had unknowingly lived with bipolar disorder for decades. He also experienced cyclothymia, a chronic mood condition marked by recurring depressive and manic episodes that are milder than classic bipolar disorder—but still deeply disruptive.
Everything came to a breaking point during the COVID lockdown. McKenna shared that this period triggered his first truly dangerous depressive episode since his teenage years. That depression was soon followed by a manic psychotic episode so severe that it required hospitalization. It was during this crisis that doctors finally gave him the diagnosis he said he had needed his entire life.
Once hospitalized, McKenna was prescribed lithium, a common and effective medication for bipolar disorder. He credits this treatment with helping stabilize his moods and allowing him to begin healing. Still, he doesn’t shy away from describing how terrifying his mental state was before getting help.
The actor admitted that he was often paralyzed by an intense fear of death. He couldn’t understand what the purpose of living was or how he might ever experience joy again. Even when he tried to stay hopeful, his thoughts were consumed by darkness and despair. Sleep—normally an escape—became another source of fear, as he worried he might not wake up once he closed his eyes.
At his lowest point, McKenna turned to alcohol and marijuana just to force himself to sleep, highlighting how desperate and trapped he felt. “It seemed like there was no way out,” he shared, describing a period where simply surviving each day felt unbearable.
Thankfully, that chapter is no longer where his story ends. Today, Chris McKenna says he is doing much better. With the right diagnosis, medication, and ongoing support, he has regained stability and perspective. By speaking openly about his struggles, McKenna hopes to help others feel less alone and encourage those who are suffering in silence to seek help.
His honesty has resonated deeply with fans, reminding viewers that mental illness does not discriminate—and that even in the darkest moments, recovery is possible.
