Off The Record
Howie Mandel Acknowledges That He Is “Extremely Medicated” And That Dealing With Mental Illness Is “Absolutely Hell”
Renowned for saying “don’t touch me” a lot. When Howie Mandel gave Reba McEntire a firm hug on The Voice stage in September 2023, it stunned everyone.
The comedian caved in to his excitement and was unable to resist the country music star’s allure because he suffers from a crippling phobia of germs.
Mandel appears upbeat and joyful when he is in the spotlight, but when he is not, he discloses that he is a “scared” guy who would rather live “in the fetal position.”
Furthermore, he just made a startling admission that disclosed how he controls the OCD that drives him to “absolute hell.” To find out more, continue reading!
Many people’s inner germaphobe was let loose by the horror of the global epidemic, making them more aware of the risks of contamination.
While many people’s fear of germs passes after a few years, for others it remains crippling and never goes away.
“There isn’t a waking moment of my life when ‘we could die’ doesn’t come into my psyche,” says Howie Mandel, a man who has experienced extreme anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) since he was a little child.
The 68-year-old TV personality says the pandemic was particularly upsetting in an interview with People, saying, “But the solace I would get would be the fact that everybody around me was okay. It’s good to latch onto okay. But [during the pandemic] the whole world was not okay. And it was absolute hell.”
OCD is defined as a “pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions” by the Mayo Clinic. “These obsessions lead you to do repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions. These obsessions and compulsions get in the way of daily activities and cause a lot of distress.”
“I’m living in a nightmare,” declares the comedian who was born in Canada. “I try to anchor myself. I have a beautiful family,” says Mandel of wife Terry (married in 1980), and their three kids, Alex, Riley and Jackie. “…I love what I do. But at the same time, I can fall into a dark depression I can’t get out of.”
Laughter is the best medicine
Mandel, who got his big break in 1982 on the hospital drama St. Elsewhere, says that although life is difficult every day, humor gets him through it.
“My coping skill is finding the funny. If I’m not laughing, then I’m crying. And I still haven’t been that open about how dark and ugly it really gets.”
Mandel continues, “I’m most at ease onstage,” adding that he uses humor to fend off the allure of OCD. “And I still haven’t been that open about how dark and ugly it really gets.”
Mandel consistently finds time for projects, including hosting many shows and acting as a judge on the America’s Got Talent (AGT) franchise. He brings his unmatched sense of humor to every endeavor. He says, “I’m most comfortable onstage. And when I don’t have anything to do, I turn inward, and that’s not good.”
Very heavily medicated
He opened up to Kelly Clarkson about his mental health concerns during a conversation they had on her talk show in 2022.
“I’m neurotic, I have OCD…so people think that I’m enjoying myself, and I’m out and amongst people…I’m scared. I like to go home and just live in the fetal position,” he told the host.
Clarkson retorted, “It’s so funny to me, because every time I’m around you, even seeing you out of work…you’re so the opposite of what I would think.” looking surprised by Mandel’s shadow persona.
Mandel chuckled, “I know, I’m such a joy, I’m a light, I’m an energy, and I’m stunning.…I’ll be honest with you, I’m incredibly medicated.”
Hugging Reba
He may have been excited to see Reba McEntire on The Voice because of that medicine.
Calling her name and leaping from the crowd, Mandel approached the show’s panelist, the country music expert, and announced, “We’re right next door shooting the AGT finale. Would you sign my shirt?”
After McEntire signed his “I [heart] Reba” shirt, Mandel gave an unexpected, tight hug to the audience.
Carson Daly, the show’s host, remarked of the man who usually avoids physical contact, “You don’t see that every day.”
Acknowledging his puzzling behavior, Mandel says, “People see inconsistencies, especially in the media. ‘Oh he hugged someone’ or ‘he shook someone’s hand.’ I can shake your hand. But then I’d think I didn’t wash it well enough. And I’d go back and forth in a loop washing my hands for hours.”
I’ll hug. I just won’t shake hands https://t.co/2bcZeWiFDP
— Howie Mandel (@howiemandel) January 14, 2024
He goes on, “I understand the funny in that. But it doesn’t mean it isn’t incredibly painful. And I don’t want to defend my mental health. I just want to maintain it.”
Since Mandel was “boosted” and “vaccinated,” his COVID-19 was mild in 2022, serving as a reminder that being afraid of illness is insufficient to keep you safe.
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