‘General Hospital’s Nathan Dean Opens up About Lifelong Depression, Personal Loss & Wife’s Support
Ahead of his return to Port Charles as Ethan Lovett later this month, General Hospital actor Nathan Dean (formerly Parsons) sat down with co-star Maurice Benard for his State of Mind YouTube talk show that deals with mental health issues.
The episode is set to drop on Sunday, April 12, on YouTube, but TV Insider has an exclusive preview of the engaging interview now.
Watch for Dean to open up to Benard about his struggle with depression from a young age, the devastating loss in 2018 of his brother, Jared Parsons, and the role that his wife, Kate, plays in helping him navigate life’s hardest moments.
“I’ve dealt with my own depression…I’ve been dealing with it since I was 11, 12 years old,” Dean reveals to Bernard. “I’ve dealt with my own depression… I dealt with my brother committing suicide… It just more [relatively] recently came into my life in the form of my brother.”
State of Mind
The actor who plays the love child of Holly Sutton (Emma Samms) and the late Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) credits his wife for providing daily support.
“We’ve only been together for four or five years, but there is never a moment that goes by where [Kate] doesn’t check,” Dean gratefully shares, who adds his wife will say to him, for example, “’You may not be you today. How do we get back to being you?’ And that is such a blessing… No one should have to take on our mental s**t, but they willingly do.”
Benard can relate to having a compassionate wife as his spouse, Paula Benard, has supported him during his mental health challenges.
“I know,” Benard says. “It’s love.”
“It is,” concurs Dean, “and that’s the thing I really never understood until met her.”
Watch the full episode of State of Mind with Nathan Dean, streaming today at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.
Benard’s past guests on State of Mind include co-stars past and present from GH Laura Wright (Carly), Lisa LoCicero (Olivia), Sarah Brown (ex-Carly), Kirsten Storms (Maxie), Steve Burton (Jason), and Max Gail (ex-Mike).
Benard played a mental health story on GH when Sonny was diagnosed with being bipolar in 2026. The actor has won three Daytime Emmys in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Sonny Corinthos.
General Hospital, Weekdays, ABC
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or dial 988. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
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