Chris McKenna, the 48-year-old actor known for playing Jack Brennan on General Hospital, has publicly shared his bipolar disorder diagnosis for the first time. He opened up about a manic psychotic episode that led to hospitalization during the COVID-19 lockdown. The revelation comes in a preview for his appearance on co-star Maurice Benard's State of Mind podcast.
Oh honey, the tea is piping hot from Port Charles! Chris McKenna is spilling all about his mental health journey, and it's as real as it gets. In a preview for his chat on Maurice Benard's State of Mind podcast—dropping fully on YouTube this Sunday, December 21—the 48-year-old actor admits he's been living with undiagnosed bipolar disorder his whole life. 'This is the first time I’m ever talking about it publicly,' Chris says, straight-up owning the moment. 😤
It all came to a head during that endless COVID-19 lockdown. 'It just lingered on and on … the monotony and not, like, moving on with my life,' he recalled. Back home, things spiraled: heavy cyclothymia kicked in, triggering his first dangerous depression since his teenage years, followed by a full-blown manic psychotic episode that landed him in the hospital. Before the diagnosis, Chris was dealing with wild delusions—like believing he could read minds—and even blamed it on marijuana at first. But nope, it was bipolar all along. He's also candid about past struggles with drugs and alcohol, plus that first breakdown as a teen. 'I had my first breakdown when I was a teenager and then lived my whole life with this disorder undiagnosed, which is fascinating in retrospect,' he shared.
Maurice, who's no stranger to this ride himself, asked, 'So, from one bipolar to another bipolar, how you doing, brother?' Chris hit back with, 'I’m doing good right now. It hasn’t always been the case, but I’m good right now.' Hospitalization finally brought the clarity: diagnosis, meds, and stability. As per a People exclusive via WeSmirch, this is Chris finally getting the help he needed. 💪
In a world full of filters, this raw honesty? Iconic. But will more soap stars follow suit and destigmatize the mess? Spill your thoughts, darlings.