Howie Mandel opens up to Joe Rogan about ongoing depression

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By Christine Parks, Fox News

April 22, 2023 | 3:26 p.m

Comedian and “America’s Got Talent” judge Howie Mandel was candid about his struggles with anxiety and depression during an appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” this week.

Mandel surprised Rogan by revealing that he was not happy, despite his success, a great support system and taking medication.

“I am the Mess King,” he admitted.

“When I hear about someone like you not feeling well, getting depressed, [I think] To that, when he’s around people he looks so happy, the podcast host replied.

Mandel admitted that he found that keeping busy and talking to others kept him “distracted” from negative feelings.

But he struggled when he was alone.

“The worst thing for me is quiet time. I don’t like the night, I don’t like when I get in over my head. That’s why I like stand-up comedy,” Mandel said.

“Because in those moments you are only in the moment because you have to be.”

Mandel said he was always about to go to a dark place in his mind.

“If I veer into the dark, that’s me… I feel like I’m balancing on this little ledge the whole time. Those words and these interactions are my own telegram that holds me on this side without me falling,” he explained.

His frank statements surprised Rogan.

He replied, “Wow, that’s heavy.”

Aside from comedy, medication and exercise also helped keep him balanced.

He claimed that running for an hour a day on a treadmill was a form of meditation.

“It’s good for my physical health but it’s also better for my mental health,” Mandel said.

“And just stay crazy busy.”

The comedian has previously spoken publicly about his obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The condition is characterized by unwanted, intrusive thoughts that can manifest as a phobia and lead to repetitive behavior or urges in addition to anxiety, according to the Mayo Clinic.

This past October in advance of National OCD Awareness Month, Mandel told Fox News Digital that there is a strong stigma in society attached to mental health problems that he is fighting to change.