KEEPING HOWIE IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
When thinking of Howie Mandel, positivity and laughter immediately spring to mind.
According to IMDb, Mandel’s foray into showbiz was serendipitous. A producer spotted him during an amateur night at the Comedy Store on L.A.’s Sunset Strip, which he attended on a whim during a vacation at the urging of his friends.
Today, Mandel stands as one of the most recognizable figures in the entertainment industry. From TV celebrity to screenwriter, actor to producer, director to entrepreneur, and popular game show panelist/host, Mandel has delved into various roles and excelled in each one.
Recently, however, he made a brave decision to open up about his mental health struggles, revealing a battle with anxiety, ADHD, and OCD that has persisted throughout his life. It’s a stark revelation for someone known for their upbeat persona.
“I’m living in a nightmare,” he confessed. “I work hard to ground myself. I adore what I do and have a wonderful family. Yet, I also experience profound sadness from which I struggle to recover.”
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated his struggles. Mandel admitted to People magazine that thoughts of mortality plagued him daily during lockdown. However, the fact that none of his loved ones fell ill offered some solace.
Though diagnosed in his thirties, Mandel recognizes that he has grappled with OCD and ADHD since childhood. He chose not to discuss his mental health openly initially, fearing it might jeopardize his career. “My initial thought was that I’d brought shame upon my family,” he confessed. “Then it dawned on me that no one would hire someone deemed unstable. Those were my concerns.”
Comedy has served as his lifeline during the darkest moments. “My coping mechanism is finding the humor,” he affirmed. “If I’m not laughing, I’m likely crying. And I’ve yet to fully divulge the depths of the darkness I’ve faced. Comedy, in many ways, rescued me. I feel most at ease on stage. Yet, when idle, I tend to retreat, which isn’t healthy.”
Mandel’s mission now is to raise awareness about mental illness and challenge the stigma surrounding it.
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Bored Daddy
Love and Peace
