Howie Mandel Admits COVID Isolation Got Him 'Incredibly Depressed'

Howie Mandel has shared how difficult it was for him to isolate after contracting COVID-19.

The comedian, in a conversation with TMZ, noted how 10 days of isolation took a toll on his mental health. The 66-year-old Canadian comedian, who contracted the virus after attending the 2022 Kids' Choice Awards held on April 10, revealed it was a "mental pain" for him.

"I’m vaxxed, and I’m boosted, so my symptoms weren’t terrible," Mandel said Wednesday. "But knowing me… I would have rather taken the mental pain of me being locked in a room for 10 days, not going near anybody."

The comedian went on to share how "incredibly depressed" he felt because of the isolation. Mandel further admitted it was hard to distract himself from being alone in a room for 10 days.

"I went insane. I still feel like I’m recovering from that, the insanity," he noted. "And I’m not joking. I got incredibly depressed, incredibly neurotic. My only panacea to my physical health and my mental health is distracting myself. You can’t distract yourself for 10 days alone in a room."

The "America's Got Talent" judge revealed his therapy was still going on and he was taking medication for the same, before noting there was still a "a stigma attached to mental health."

"It’s just good to be out of the room!" he added.

Mandel had made headlines last year due to his health after he suddenly fainted at a Starbucks, and was rushed to a hospital. Later, he wrote on Twitter it happened because of low blood sugar and dehydration.

On the work front, Mandel was a regular on the "America's Got Talent" show from 2010 to 2021. Now, the comedian will be judging a Canadian version of the same show, "Canada's Got Talent," which was first dropped in 2012.

He also started a new show, "Bullsh*t the Game Show," that dropped on Netflix on Wednesday. It is a trivia show that has a grand prize of $1 million if the contestants win all the 10 rounds.

Mandel shares three kids -- Jackie, Alex and Riley -- with his wife, Terry Mandel.