Alan Alda reveals that he has Parkinson's disease: "I'm not angry"

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Updated 31 July 2018 9:53 AM EDT

Alan Alda has Parkinson's Disease. In an appearance on "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday, the award-winning actor, best known for his portrayal of Captain Hawkeye's "Army Pierce" in the TV series "M * A * S * H", revealed that he was diagnosed three years ago and a half.

"I have had a busy life since," he said. "I played, I gave lectures, I helped Alda Center for Scientific Communication at Stony Brook, I started this new podcast and I noticed that – I've been a lot on TV in the last few weeks about the new podcast – and I could see my thumb upset some plans and I thought that's probably only a question some time before someone tells a story about it, but that's not what I am. "[19659003] Alda said that he was tested for the disease after having read an article on how one of the first signs of Parkinson's disease is to perform dreams.

"I dreamed that someone was attacking me and I threw them a sack of potatoes, but what I really did was throw a pillow to my wife", was -he says.

Old recently launched a podcast called Clear + Vivid, which explores all the ways people communicate with each other. According to him, the ability to communicate clearly with people is the key to a better understanding for all. Another reason invoked by Alda was to send a message of hope to those who might be facing the disease.

"At the beginning be immobilized by fear and think that the worst thing you have arrived – this has not happened to you, you still have things to do, "says Alda. "I take boxing clbades three times a week, I play tennis solo twice a week, I walk to Sousa's music because walking in music is good for Parkinson's disease."

Perhaps one of the most well-known people with Parkinson's disease is the actor Michael J. Fox who made public his diagnosis there are almost two decades

. Alda says that he's "not angry".

"Because it's a challenge, you know, you have to cross the street, there are cars coming in, how do you cross the street, you do not sit on the sidewalk and you say: I will never cross the street again, you find a way to do it, "said Alda. "There are common symptoms, but most of the time everyone is different and every day is different from the following: one day you wake up, you think, oh, it's over, it's gone the next day is a little worse. what is it going to be, but the bottom line is that there are things you can do that I've done – you know how I see that, that's what it's all about. is like an enigma to be solved, what do I need to adapt to continue "

Through the Alan Alda Center for Scientific Communication, he teaches scientists and entrepreneurs the techniques of interpreting help them communicate better with their audiences.

"It would be a little ironic if I kept quiet about it when a science communication center is named after me, but I think because I am a little known, it might be useful to people from all walks of life. hear the message There are things you can do, you can learn about things and not follow quackery, but discover what real science brings, it helps, it helps to move forward, it moves rhythmically ", said Alda

He hopes, by making public, not only to quell the fear that others might feel, but also to get comfortable.

"I'm not going to worry: while i'm trying to say something else, i'm not going to think, it's my thumb on a life of its own, you know, it's just one of the realities but i'm I've been playing in movies since – three and a half years ago that I had the diagnosis and that did not stop at all, I had a richer life than the one I had. until now. "