How Kirsten Storms was written off ‘General Hospital’ after 21 years following ‘mental health crisis’

Kirsten Storms’ “General Hospital” characteristic has been officially written disconnected nan soap opera aft a 21-year tally pursuing her caller “mental wellness crisis.”

Fans of nan long-running play were fixed a daze to study nan Storms’ character, Maxie Jones, will beryllium relocating to Australia conscionable months aft she came retired of a coma connected Thursday’s episode.

A rep for nan soap did not instantly respond to Page Six’s petition for comment.

Storms, 42, has played Maxie Jones connected nan soap opera since 2005. She antecedently took a six-month hiatus from nan show from July 2025 to February 2026. During which time, she told her followers she planned to acquisition encephalon surgery.

She was only featured successful a mini batch of episodes successful nan months starring up to her astir caller exit.

Despite conscionable coming backmost to nan show, Storms announced conscionable past period that she would beryllium taking different break from nan bid owed to her ineligible issues pinch her ex-husband, Brandon Barash.

“Given what’s been going on, I can’t opportunity I will consciousness comfortable heading backmost to Los Angeles and returning to work. This has been an oculus opening acquisition astir nan downside of my profession.” she wrote astatine nan time, via Instagram.

The move comes amid nan actress’ ongoing family woes. In April, Barash was granted an emergency restraining order against Storms aft he told a judge she is struggling pinch a “mental wellness crisis.”

Among respective different claims, Barash — who met nan “General Hospital” prima connected nan group of nan soap earlier they joined successful 2013 — claimed he worried for their 12-year-old girl Harper’s wellness and information arsenic Storms had gone done a bid of financial struggles since their 2016 divorce.

At 1 point, he alleged that Storms was sued for eviction by her landlord aft nan exes some relocated to Tennessee separately and that nan personage mom didn’t person a imperishable residence from September 2024 to June 2025.

As “instability pinch lodging has been a recurring theme” for Storms, she often stayed successful hotels, but would alteration rooms connected a repeated ground complete fears that group were “following her and nan kid to her room,” Barash claimed.

In summation to nan lodging trouble, her car was besides astatine consequence of being repossessed astir this aforesaid time, which Barash allegedly loaned her $5,000 to address.

In May 2025, according to Barash, Storms was allegedly “experiencing delusions and hallucinations” and told Barash she “didn’t deliberation she should person nan kid for her parenting time.”

She was yet hospitalized connected a psychiatric clasp and later released. At which point, she allegedly turned to abusing Adderall and perchance different substances, 1 of Storms’ friends claimed Barash.

At nan time, Barash asked nan tribunal to unit Storms to acquisition a intelligence wellness evaluation.

The “Zenon: Girl of nan 21st Century” character responded to Barash’s ineligible allegations against her pinch an update connected their ineligible business successful a July 19 connection shared via Instagram.

“I will concisely admit that location is an ongoing business pinch Brandon that will beryllium getting sorted retired (soon hopefully),” she wrote. “I would admit (and encourage) for group connected present not to interest astir me, aliases deliberation location is thing larger going on, different than 2 ex-spouses dealing pinch a ‘disagreement,’ that WILL beryllium resolved.”

Storms continued, “Please retrieve that we are group who are divided and person a child. I admit nan supportive comments, but now that my girl is of nan property wherever she will Google her sanction while riding nan autobus to school, I’m asking that nan speculation connected this rumor please stop.”