GH's Kelly Monaco shares personal battle with anxiety and panic attacks

General Hospital's Kelly Monaco (Samantha McCall) opens up about her real-life struggles with anxiety and a recent "traumatic" on-set experience

When General Hospital actress Kelly Monaco recently had to play scenes in which her alter ego, Samantha McCall, experienced hallucinations and tried to kill Sonny (Maurice Benard), she had to dig deep into a part of herself she's not altogether comfortable with. In fact, the actress admits that playing the scenes was downright traumatic.

"I suffer from panic attacks and anxiety, and have for many years," she reveals to Soaps In Depth, adding that it was quite difficult for her to act out what was written on the page while Sam was mentally ill. "Having to go back to the place where my last debilitating anxiety attack was [for GH] was traumatic... It takes a bit to get over because you work yourself up so much."

Thankfully for Sam, she has recovered from the disease that caused her irrational fits. But that doesn't mean her life will be getting any easier. After all, she's got two men claiming to be her husband! But no matter how it plays out, Monaco is hoping Sam's strengths come back into play.

"Sam's been broken down in the past," she says. "[Her recent experiences] might be a layer to help build her back up [to] the sassy Sam we all used to know and love -- [the one] who had a voice!"

In related news, Monaco recently took to her Instagram page to urge fans to not be mean to each other as the Tale of Two Jasons story plays out. "#killy appreciates any love but never bullying," Monaco wrote referencing the smooshed name fans had given her and Billy Miller. "We respect our coworkers please do the same."

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What do you think about Monaco's reveal that she suffers from real-life panic attacks and anxiety? What would you like to see for Sam's life in the months ahead? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.

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