Yahoo Finance Alec Baldwin Says He's 'Really Seriously' Struggling with OCD
Roy Rochlin/Getty Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin has been "really seriously" struggling with OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, the actor said Tuesday.
On the latest episode of his new podcast, What's One More, which he hosts with wife Hilaria Baldwin, the 30 Rock star shared that his OCD symptoms have increased in the last few years.
Speaking with Howie Mandel, who also has OCD along with anxiety and depression, and his wife Terry Mandel, Baldwin thanked the America's Got Talent judge for speaking openly about the disorder.
"OCD is something I personally struggle with," Alec, 63, said. "I'm grateful to Howie for opening up at a time when few people were talking about this publicly, and there was even more of a stigma about OCD and mental health than there is today. It's through empathy, understanding and being kinder to one another, that we can finally remove the stigma and change the narrative."
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Alec asked Howie about the origins of his OCD.
"Is germaphobia the only way that that OCD was expressed, and what was the beginnings of when you started to track that and sense that?" he said. "Because I'm going through this myself now. I am, like really seriously."
Howie, 65, explained that the disorder creates intrusive thoughts that are impossible for him to ignore, and said that in his case it often manifests in obsessive compulsions like repeatedly washing his hands or constantly checking that doors are locked.
Hilaria, 37, said that OCD has become a "very personal" issue for her and Alec "because we've been learning a lot about OCD over the past few years."
We're "still very new to the journey of understanding what OCD is," she said, "but we're learning that by being open about our challenges, we find a community where we realize we are not so alone, and we can be a part of paving the way for more people to seek help."
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After the episode went live, Hilaria thanked Alec for sharing his experience with OCD.
"It was through opening up about my miscarriages with you that I learned the healing power of: I'm not in this alone. I'm proud of you, Alec, for having the bravery to do the same with your struggles with OCD," she wrote. "It is through opening up that we allow others the opportunity to understand us better, support us better, and potentially be inspired to open up as well."
Howie has dealt with OCD for most of his life, and struggles with it daily, he told PEOPLE earlier this month.
"I'm living in a nightmare," he said, explaining that he's had symptoms since he was a child. "I try to anchor myself. I have a beautiful family and I love what I do. But at the same time, I can fall into a dark depression I can't get out of."
Shayan Asgharnia Howie Mandel
Howie has coping mechanisms, such as therapy, and said his "life's mission is to remove the stigma."
"I'm broken. But this is my reality. I know there's going to be darkness again - and I cherish every moment of light."
