Howie mandel: ‘there is a light at the end of all these tunnels’ | members only access

YOU’VE ALSO BEEN CANDID ABOUT YOUR STRUGGLES WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. HOW DO YOU STAY GROUNDED? It’s a constant struggle. Every waking moment is a struggle, but I think that’s true for

everyone. Life is a struggle, whether you’ve been diagnosed with depression or not. Whether you’re dealing with mental or physical health, the loss of a loved one, the pressure of work, the

loss of work, the amount of responsibility, children, loneliness — life can be tough. We all need coping skills, and I learned later in life that those aren’t something we all learn. [When

I was growing up], there was a stigma involved with not being OK, and it took me a while to realize life isn’t always OK for everyone. Every part of life is an adjustment. So how do we

adjust and cope? Maybe you exercise more or do breathing exercises or find a hobby you enjoy. It’s important to find something that makes you as comfortable, happy and productive as

possible. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT MANAGING DEPRESSION? When you have a mental health issue, it’s very confining in the sense that it’s happening in your head, and it can

be hard to talk about. You also believe nobody else understands your feelings, and it can seem easier to curl up in the fetal position and stay in your room. I will tell you there is a light

at the end of all these tunnels and a lot of people do understand what you’re going through. I’ve learned just by virtue of being human that we all go through depression. Don’t ever give

up, [because the first therapist you see or the initial medication you take may not be the right fit]. I’ve had to change dosages and even change doctors. DO YOU STILL ENJOY RUNNING? Yes,

but I don’t run for as long as I did in the past, and part of that is because I’m busier now than I’ve ever been with touring, my podcast, filming _America’s Got Talent_, _Canada’s Got

Talent_ and producing _Deal or No Deal Island_. I try to run at least 3 miles a day now. It’s my time to relax, and it’s a form of meditation for me. When I’m running, I can hear my

heartbeat and steps, and it’s a good escape. YOU AND YOUR WIFE, TERRY, HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. WHAT’S YOUR SECRET? Well, Terry would probably tell you it’s because I’m so

busy and not around. Terry is incredibly patient. I’m the hard one. I feel like the lucky one to have her as my partner. She’s smart and funny and successful and a great mother and a great

human. She’s also incredibly patient, because I’m a handful, and I can tell you this firsthand, because I’m with myself every waking moment. How did your _Howie Mandel Does Stuff_ podcast

with your daughter come about? And how do you choose the different topics and guests? My daughter Jackelyn [Shultz] and I were communicating via telephone throughout the pandemic. We would

spend hours on the phone, not only talking but also doing prank calls. I’d tell my daughter a story about a celebrity friend, and say, “You’re not gonna believe they did this. I’m gonna call

him right now with you on the phone, and you’re gonna hear how they did this.” It became a daily ritual, and one day my wife says, “You two do this every day. You’re calling people and

doing prank calls. What’s this for?” We were just having fun, but my wife suggested we record our conversations, and that turned into the beginning of a fun podcast. We talk about whatever

interests us. This week, we spoke to a new young comic I met in Hawaii and a hospice nurse.