While you may know Howie Mandel as an actor, comedian, and host of NBC’s Deal or No Deal, you may not know that he is also one of the estimated 10 million adults in the United States who have ADHD. To support ADHD awareness in adults, Mandel is spreading the word about this real and treatable condition through participating in a public service campaign, Adult ADHD is Real. He wants people to know that the symptoms of adult ADHD make it difficult to pay attention and focus, be organized and complete tasks –- but he says it is never too late to seek help for adult ADHD. I had the opportunity to speak with Mandel and ask him about his life with ADHD.
Q: What is the Adult ADHD Is Real public service campaign?
Answer from Mandel:
What we are trying to do is create awareness that ADHD is real for adults. I think some people just use it for vernacular sometimes -– I can’t do that, I’m ADD or ADHD -– and it really is an issue and it is real.
If you think you may be dealing with this, then we recommend that you go to the website, AdultADHDIsReal.com. On the website is the World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Screener, and if you click off a few of the answers in a certain way, it will tell you whether you might and then if you might have the signs and symptoms of ADHD then we recommend, I personally recommend, that you go see a professional healthcare giver because there are ways and therapies that can make your life easier and better.
I think the biggest issue in adults is that they don’t think ADHD is real when you think about it in just the layman’s way, you think of a hyper kid running around. As an adult, it affects you many different ways, and if you can cope with it, then you can make yourself have an easier, better time in whatever it is you are doing from relationships to work place to just your own life.
Q: What kinds of issues were you having that lead you to see the doctor for diagnosis and treatment?
Answer from Mandel:
Well, always throughout my life, it’s been hard for me to sit down and read a book. I ended up getting thrown out of school. I have funny stories about getting thrown out of school, but the truth of the matter is that goes along with this issue is I’m very impulsive. I do things in the spur of the moment which -- as much as it is funny, and I was lucky enough to land on my feet as a comedian and a performer, and so it has given me some stories -- I would have liked to have continued in school, but it was hard for me to control my behaviors.
By the same token, even as an adult, I…you know just to carry on a conversation and focus for any length of time has been hard. I’ve been with my wife for 30 years and God knows she’s so patient, but I sit there with my kids and I can’t tell you any conversation that goes by where they don’t go, “Dad, are you listening?” Also, in what I do, sitting down and having to read a script or a book -– it’s really hard for me.
Q: You’ve obviously found success as a performer and in your relationships. What has been most helpful for you in regards to managing your ADHD?
Answer from Mandel:
Well, the most helpful thing, and this is the reason I am doing this interview, is number one -- identify it and then if you identify it, go get help. I am not going to talk about specifically what I do. Each individual person and a professional will decide what it is, and you will decide what it is, that is working for you. The good news is that there are many different ways, many things available from cognitive therapy to pharmaceuticals.
Q: Your message, and the message of the campaign, is that adult ADHD is real. If you think you may have ADHD go to the website, do the self-screening, set up an appointment with a doctor and try find out what is going on.
Answer from Mandel:
And, then again that there definitely are answers. One hundred percent, there are answers. And if the first thing doesn’t work, there is another thing, and if that thing doesn’t work, there is another. There are so many things and each individual problem has its own set of solutions and people should just know that there are ways to make their life better. The first is identify it, get diagnosed or at least the first thing to do is go to the website if you think you have it. The website will help you identify it and then turn to a professional. I am telling you if you identify it and you have ADHD and you go for help -- whatever that help is -- your life will be that much better.
For more information about the Adult ADHD is Real public service campaign, visit AdultADHDisReal.com.
Source: Howie Mandel. Phone Interview. April 16, 2009.
