When Matthew Perry passed away on October 28, many people wondered if he relapsed or whether his passing was in any way related to his long history of drug use/abuse. I believed Perry’s friends, all of whom said that he had found an enormous amount of peace in the years before his death, that he was clean and sober. Jennifer Aniston recently said Perry had even quit smoking. In 2022, he detailed his lengthy sobriety journey in his memoir, and he wrote and said that all told, he spent about $9 million on multiple rehabs and everything else. Well, sad news – the coroner’s report came out on Friday and it looks like Perry had taken ketamine.
Matthew Perry’s cause of death has been determined.
The Friends actor died due to acute effects of ketamine, according to an autopsy report obtained by PEOPLE. Drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects (a medication used to treat opioid use disorder) were also listed as contributing factors in his death, which was ruled accidental.
Ketamine is a “dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects,” per the US Drug Enforcement Administration. It “distorts the perception of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and not in control,” and “can induce a state of sedation (feeling calm and relaxed), immobility, relief from pain, and amnesia.”
The autopsy states that Perry — who was “reportedly clean for 19 months” — was on ketamine infusion therapy, with his latest treatment taking place just “one and a half weeks before” his death. However, the coroner noted that “the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine’s half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less.”
Per the autopsy, Perry’s death occurred by “unknown route of drug intake.” The coroner stated that Perry was found “in a residential pool,” with prescription medications and loose pills present at his residence but “none reported near the pool” or “adjacent to the pool.” The autopsy also notes that there were “no signs of fatal trauma or no foul play suspected.”
“At the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens, the main lethal effects would be from both cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression,” the coroner states in the report. “Drowning contributes due to the likelihood of submersion into the pool as he lapsed into unconsciousness.”
Just to underline the point – Perry was clean for 19 months before he began “ketamine infusion therapy,” but the ketamine in his system did not come from an infusion therapy session. Ketamine used to be – and perhaps still is? – a popular club drug and it’s also known as Special K. I would imagine that someone with money and access (like Perry) would be able to easily get his hands on it. All of this is so tremendously sad – Perry never hid the fact that he was an addict who relapsed multiple times, and he hoped that talking about all it openly would help other people begin their sobriety journeys. That hasn’t changed. Lots of sober addicts relapse, as Perry did multiple times over the course of his life as well. It’s just sad, I still feel so sorry for his parents and his friends.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images, Instagram.
-
- 'The Kennedy's – After Camelot' Screening in the Paley Centre for Media in Beverly Hills – Arrivals,Image: 325512935, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon
-
- 162953, Matthew Perry attends the premiere of ‘The Kennedys: After Camelot’ at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills. Los Angeles, California – Wednesday March 15, 2017. Photograph: © PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Photoshot): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 532918972, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: PacificCoastNews / Avalon
-
- New York, NY – Matthew Perry signs autographs as he leaves his hotel this afternoon in Tribeca. Pictured: Matthew Perry BACKGRID USA 1 NOVEMBER 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: BlayzenPhotos / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Celebrities At ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Featuring: Matthew Perry Where: New York, New York, United States When: 01 Nov 2022 Credit: ROGER WONG/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images
Sobriety really is a lifelong struggle. It’s every day, all day.
Reminds me a bit of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, sober & then relapse & their body just couldn’t take it.
Very well said and so very true. This was in no way surprising, but terribly difficult to discover.
Isn’t ketamine used off-label to treat pernicious depression? Perhaps also C-PTSD, as a way address painful, formative experiences?
I suspect there are strict protocols regarding therapeutic ketamine use, with good reason. It’s one of the new (and last) lines of treatment; electroshock therapy is next?
It takes real courage to take these steps to heal, poor man. So heartbreaking for Matthew and for all the others in this fight.
From what I’ve read, proponents of IV ketamine for mental health conditions argue that the FDA has not approved its use because there’s no money behind it. The patent on that form of ketamine has expired, so pharmaceutical companies cannot market it. In the past few years, a couple of companies developed ketamine nasal sprays because they could patent them. The sprays, however, show less effective results than infusion therapy and still must be administered under supervision.
Yes. Ketamine is supposed to ultimately take the place of electroshock therapy. Its effect in the brain is almost identical to ECT.
therapeutic ketamine infusion and pill companies are popping up in every town in America. I have ptsd and complex ptsd and thought it sounded like a good idea.
it was an absolute disaster for me – I was hitting myself over minor triggers after the 3rd dose. only after my husband and I connected the dots did we start to uncover all kinds of stories of people who became suicidal (some were successful).
curiously, the treatments are supposed to increase your blood pressure but mine would tank as soon as I took it. the observing psychiatrist and my “coach” didn’t seem worried. (I was worried.) they just suggested that my inability to remember any part of my sessions was because I didn’t set clear enough intentions. (barf)
I personally think it’s a huge money grab, highly unregulated and anyone with a tendency towards a freeze response should beware.
it was truly terrifying for me and the physical cues that it wasn’t good for me were obvious in hindsight to me a layperson.
re: Matthew Perry perhaps he used the therapeutic treatment for pain management but the street version is wayyyy higher doses. it’s so sad.
@gah I’m so sorry to hear about this. For me the infusions have been life-saving, but I’ve found that I MUST sit alone in a dark room for a full day afterward (they say to “avoid screens” but not why, lol). I avoid speaking to anyone, especially relatives, because I’m highly suggestible. If I’m overstimulated or feel unsafe in any way during my “neuroplasticity is back!!” phase, I experience the “darker side”—it has happened twice, which is more than enough.
I do feel, as a result of that, that patients/clients should be given a specific aftercare protocol to follow—and, if they are still actively in a traumatic situation, they should avoid taking ketamine at all.
Didn’t PSH die from an accidental overdose from something laced with fentanyl?
I don’t think so. If I remember correctly, he died of a heroin overdose that he’d apparently misjudged because he’d been sober prior.
I was sober (alcohol) for ten years and relapsed, and it has been an ongoing battle ever since. I get a year here and a year there, but it is hard. Am hopefully going to be able to go the distance this time around.
Regarding the Ketamine therapy, I did it once (to deal with PTSD). I was supposed to go back for four more treatments but it was too much for me. I hated the feeling (you are in a VERY altered mind state), and my heart rate went through the roof (which is very common). I’m shocked a doctor would recommend it so often for someone with his health and addiction history.
These were my thoughts on the Ketamine therapy as well. Though some people swear by it, this is an off label use for the drug. And, as you say, it can have very unpleasant effects. Unfortunately, there are many irresponsible doctors out there, especially in southern California.
Good luck in your sobriety journey!
OriginalMich good luck! You sound like you are determined. I was also surprised that a physician would treat a known addict with such a strongly addictive drug? My understanding is that even one dose of an addictive substance can set off the chemicals in the brain that create the cravings? That seems so dangerous?
In conjunction with therapy, two studies have shown that Ketamine might be effective in helping to fight both addiction and depression because of how it promotes neural plasticity. The session I did was incredibly effective and has had lasting effects on my PTSD.
Thank you for your honesty and I wish you success with your continued sobriety. As the mother of a child who struggles I hate it when people think he’s ‘better’….. zero understanding this is a lifelong struggle and I know how hard it is every single day. I wish you health and happiness..
I read an article that pointed out that Matthew wrote about ketamine treatments in his biography. He said he didn’t like it and that it made him feel “dead.” That makes me wonder: did the ketamine start working for him and he thought, if this much is good, then more would be better? Or was this a low-key suicide thing? I know his friends have said that he would never kill himself but sometimes that’s impossible to know for sure.
This crossed my mind as well. In any case, this news made me really sad for him, and those who loved him.
Maybe he just convinced himself it was an “okay” way to alter his state of mind since he was using it in treatment.
It sounds like he tried to self medicate and use it outside of the watchful and protective eye of a medical professional.
I agree with this assessment (I’m a doctor). Ketamine has been a popular club drug for more than 50 years, we saw people in the ER all the time who had been using it. I tried it a few times when I was in college back in the 70s. It’s generally pretty safe but of course if you’re getting it on the street, you can’t be sure how much you’re actually getting.
Remember that Elijah McClain was killed by paramedics who gave him a huge dose. We use it all the time for painful procedures-it’s the best thing for setting a kid’s broken arm-they just look at you with a wide eyed stare while you straighten out the bones. For treatment of depression it’s a godsend for many people.
maybe he was just looking for some relief. I doubt he intended to end his life. sad
We have been using Ketamine on our horses for years. It is a drug use in horses & large animals. I know it has been used in humans for broken bones & the like but not really a successful treatment for depression. This is so sad but when I heard of it I thought of all the people who went to Farm Supply stores to buy ivermectin during the pandemic. I am sorry I know this. It really isn’t my business. It was a tragic accident and he will be missed & I feel sorry for his family & loved ones. Mostly sorry for Matthew
Also doc, here. Agreed.
This is sad.
This is so sad. I live in LA and it’s not uncommon to use ketamin recreationally. Mostly through the use of mushrooms which comes in as many forms similar to pot use out here.
It sounds like he was trying to relax and it was too much for his body. Very very sad.
Ketamine and mushrooms are very different things.
True—ketamine is synthetic (PCP, I believe? synthetic PCP?) that was devised to be used as a safer anesthetic—but both substances do have psychedelic properties and potentially similar therapeutic applications. I wonder if Cherry meant “though” and not “through”: “mostly, though, the use of mushrooms.”
Cherry, yes, I heard from an LA friend very recently that ketamine is on a major upswing here. And… I noticed there ARE a lot of ways to buy mushrooms out here, too, lol. I have to assume it’s part of the fetishization of absolutely perfect health.
It’s really sad to learn this. I don’t understand what the autopsy means, though, if he had not been in the pool, would he have survived?
I read it to mean that he would have likely died whether he was in water or not, it did say the “main lethal effects” were from the drugs. The drowning just hurried the process along, based on my understanding.
When a pathologist does an autopsy they open the person up and then examine organ by organ what was up. There are physiological chain reactions for all of the ways people die.
And then the pathologist can also estimate the times that different processes have been in play, ex- at around 30 min in this is happening, etc. So s/he probably tagged it as the physiological markers related to overdosing on ketamine were this far down the road and the drowning stuff was there but not as far down the road.
you can’t say for sure. it’s pretty rare for ketamine to be fatal by itself. it would have to be a LOT. but if that does happen you can lose either motor control or consciousness, and if you’re alone in the water you may not be able to protect your airway.
When we use it in the hospital we always have emergency equipment at the bedside and are prepared to manage any potential complications.
Friends never know what’s going on in a person’s life. Matthew had been an addict for most of his life. Non addicts don’t really understand how powerful addiction is. Thus, they can never fully appreciate the lengths the addict will go to in order to hide it. Nor can they understand how good they are at hiding it. When his memoir came out, I saw all kinds of red flags in how he was talking about the disease being behind him. Addiction is never behind the addict. It’s for life.
Yes, this was my own experience with a partner who had severe addiction. I did not understand how profound their issues were until there was a major incident and I gradually realized that almost everything about our relationship since day one had been an elaborate web of lies and manipulations designed to conceal and facilitate their addiction. They even committed financial crimes against me and put my life in danger due to not paying drug debts. Thirty years on, this same person was in the local news for having used a family member’s identity to forge prescriptions for opioids. I saw this and was just so, so grateful to have gotten out of it before we had children together.
So sorry you had to go through this, Chaine. You really were lucky to get out when you did. Addiction does destroy lives, not just the addict’s.
Chaine. That is awful. I’m so sorry to read this. Glad you’re out the other side.
I read in another report that the “loose pills” were suboxone which people commonly use to stay off opiates.
I’m going to reserve all judgement here when calling this a relapse. We have a culture of all of nothing sometimes with sobriety that I don’’t always believe is functional. We have no clue why he was using the ketamine. It’s not unlikely he was taking it to avoid relapse on his typical drugs of choice. Just because he wasn’t 100% sober, doesn’t mean he was in relapse or in the throes of addiction. I believe what Jennifer said to be true, I believe he was using Ketamine and suboxone to manage his addiction.
Well said.
Hollywood has a long history of stars who burn bright & die very young.
But there are also people who are miraculous for living as long as they do, for fighting an uphill battle, for giving to others what they may not be able to give to themselves. I think Judy Garland was one of these people & I think Matthew Perry was as well.
I think this is what killed Michael Jackson, too.
Beaniebean- I’m pretty sure MJ was propofal, which I think is stronger?
He fought so hard, for so long. People who’ve never been through addiction have no clue. I’m so grateful he lived long enough to share his story the way he wanted it told.
I have a friend who was administered Ketamine at a hospital once. She said it was the absolute worst experience of being fully out of your mind, nauseated and so effed up. She said to never, ever take it. It sounds dreadful, but I’m glad it works for some people?
someone wasn’t careful with the dosing. that should not happen.
It was to get a bone reset, I believe. She says they offered anesthesia (which was hard for her to take and takes a long time to wear off) or Ketamine, which would last long enough to get the procedure done and it would wear off faster. So I think that’s why it was a big dose? Anyway, that story freaked me out completely.
True, when used as a “safer” alternative to other anesthesias, as in the ER, this should not happen. Ketamine for chronic pain and PTSD, though, is administered at a higher dose. It’s miserable every time I take it, but the first time was the worst. I panicked—they’d used my weight to dose me and it was way too high. Afterward, I was more nauseated than I’ve ever been, and I vomited and aspirated burning hot bile my sleep. They fine-tuned what goes into the line so that I don’t experience the same horrible side effects now, but it still feels dreadful from start to 26 hours later
He may have thought K was fine since a dr had prescribed it. Honestly I know my brain would justify that.
Had he relasped or was this a tragically failed attempt at staying sober? I think it weird he had both his opioid addiction treatment drug and the ketamine (which he had been using therapeutically) in his system. Was he trying to fight off a particularly strong craving without medical oversight?
I want to add to this bc I don’t want it to seem like I’m making light of his death or addiction. I’ll use myself as an example.
For years I used to get massive headaches everyday. EVERYDAY. As soon as I even thought one was coming on I’d grab my Advil. I never took the listed dosage. I’d immediately start with double (sometimes triple) the amount and never waited the full timeframe listed to take more.
I’m wondering if he was doing something similar. Like t maybe he didn’t feel like recommended treatment dosage was working and took it upon himself to take more to a tragic result.
Also, I don’t know why this coming as anonymous. It’s me Steph, the OP.
This sounds like a very plausible scenario, given everything we know so far about his treatment choices.
I thought Jen Aniston (? Or someone) was saying he was trying to wean off the ketamine treatments, after quitting smoking. It sounds like one of the medications for staying off opioids did damage to his heart as well. Sad that the combo of what had helped him also did this.
A friend of mine has done ketamine as a depression treatment, she was happy with the results. It was in a clinic where someone stays with you, and a couple treatments, not ongoing use. I hope this doesn’t lead to the treatment being over regulated, I’ve heard positive things from several places about it. RIP
Look at the health problems he had for years due to effects of his addiction.
ECMO machine, multiple surgeries, months in the hospital after his bowel repair, on and on.
His overall health was not good, at 54, he had organ damage to many vital organs.
Sad in so many ways, RIP.
You DO NOT take ketamine and then get into a hot tub. I don’t understand why he would do that!
He would not have been able to take ketamine and then get into a hot tub. The ketamine affects your consciousness and voluntary behavior. He also would not have been able to remain standing or sitting in the water. Having observed many patients receive ketamine at work – I don’t think the police have properly thought this through.
whose to say he didn’t take the Ketamine while in the hot tub. Maybe he was just sore after pickleball and wanted to speed up feeling better. Or not making any accusations but his assistant was with him before he went to run some errands.
But whatever the method it was taken and it led to his death by drowning.
This is not necessarily true. If he was using regularly, which it sounds like he was, it’s not like he’s going to take some k and then pass out. People who use those drugs regularly don’t immediately go into a k-hole when they use.
Source: have been around long term recreational ketamine users a lot. My only experience is that I hate ketamine and can’t imagine it helping me be LESS depressed.
Well, I for sure have a conspiracy tendency – but I thought like when it was caused by a substance, who says that he made a conscious decision taking it?
I don’t understand why the public needs to know this man’s autopsy results.
Good point. The police being called to his house, that I can see being reported in the paper, as per the norm–although not the person’s name. But autopsy reports? Shouldn’t that be covered by HIPAA or something?
I think HIPAA only relates to medical records by actual healthcare providers, so it would not cover an autopsy by the county medical examiner on a dead person.
A person in my family had stated he was clean and off meds but when he relapsed he took his usual pre treatment dosage, it was too much for his system and he unintentionally overdosed. Could this have happened here? This is so sad.
I know someone that happened to as well. I think that, sadly, that’s a common story.
I’ve had that exact conversation with addicts moving out of halfway houses. “Listen, your tolerance is nothing because you haven’t used in six months. If you go out and down a whole bottle like you used to, it *will* kill you.”
It’s a hideous harm-reduction dilemma. You don’t want to encourage a relapse but you also don’t want to fail to warn about the very real risk of OD if they get impaired and default back to habitual quantities. Unfortunately an addict’s brain will interpret any advice on using safely as permission.
Very sad news indeed.
For anyone with more medical knowledge, why would a life-long addict be undergoing ketamine infusion therapy in the first place? I understand that Perry must have been using it outside of this medical supervision (hence the reason it was found in his system at the time of his death), but it’s hard for me to understand why he was undergoing the treatment in the first place. I am not familiar with this drug, but from the descriptions of it, it sounds perilous for an addict to be taking it.
Having been married to a drug addict/alcoholic for almost 10 years, I am acutely aware of how difficult and painful addiction is, and how recovery can be so hard to achieve.
RIP Matthew
When users are clean and sober, if they don’t have other health issues that contraindicate ketamine, infusions may be recommended (in lieu of, for instance, an oral spray), because being hooked up to a big machine mitigates the risk of substance abuse. Infusions are performed by clinicians under the oversight of a doctor. These clinicians take *meticulous* notes about dosages because, unfortunately, it’s very difficult to get the dosage exactly right, and ketamine is totally lethal in higher amounts. Fortunately, with an infusion, you are hooked up to all sorts of monitoring equipment; nurses keep vigilant watch over blood pressure and heart rate, constantly making fine adjustments as needed.
I was recently telling a friend that I would NEVER take ketamine recreationally, simply because estimating dosages is so fraught. That said, it is a life-saving drug. This new information about MP is so, so deeply upsetting.
So since this information came out about Matthew Perry, I really have wanted to underline that ketamine can be effective when done correctly. Sorry CB’ers I’m going to get on a soapbox here:
Matthew Perry was well beyond using ketamine properly. He was abusing it. Ketamine can help addicts but only in controlled settings and not in a way where addicts can get their hands on it easily. Ketamine is best effective when used as instructed by a psychiatrist and only when current conventional medicine has failed. I just hope there is a way to regulate the current ketamine system so people who use it properly can still use it but it can’t be abused. I hate to use someone else’s tragedy as a teaching moment.
I’ve been using ketamine to treat my PTSD since 2021. Let me tell you, before ketamine, I had horrible anxiety and depression that just no matter how hard my doctor and I tried, it just wasn’t going away. I started doing ketamine infusion for 6 sessions and moved to troaches (they dissolve and you swish them around your mouth for 10 minutes and spit it out) once per week and now to what I do each night, which is microdosing. I use a small amount of ketamine each night and my symptoms are severe enough to warrant that but there is also an end goal that when I’m done with the rest of my therapy, I won’t take ketamine anymore and I’m about 6 months away from that.
Ketamine in general is effective but is meant jolt the brain out of stubborn unhealthy mental health patterns and help people get out of those patterns and behaviors. One thing my psychiatrist ordered me to do is I have to do is check my blood pressure with a wrist cuff 3x week and my PCP has yearly heart monitoring tests. I cannot take ketamine if my blood pressure is high and there have been some times where I take a few days off because my BP creeps up there.
Ketamine is effective but it’s no joke. No doctor would’ve prescribed ketamine in that high of an amount and no doctor in their right mind would recommend being in a jacuzzi while taking ketamine. Now my question after seeing all of these ketamine services pop up online where you can get the troaches mailed to your home by a doctor who’s job is basically to sign off on ketamine scripts. I wonder if the pharmacies that work ketamine are tracking ketamine orders. My understanding is there’s only a few pharmacies in the USA that will really work with ketamine so I don’t know if ketamine is tracked like other controlled substances. I would think they’d have to. But that is a potential cause for concern if they aren’t.
Sorry, I’ll get off that soapbox now.
Thank you for that. It was enlightening.
Ketamine absolutely shows up in the CURES database.
I had a patient come in last month and it was all over CURES. She said she got it mail order, and I contacted the CA dept of public health and asked them to shut the supplier down.
Yes, thank you. Your entire comment is really helpful. I knew nothing but the word “ketamine” before today.
I’m really glad it has helped you so much!
Thank you for sharing your personal experience and insights. Like Christine, I knew nothing about this subject before reading everyone’s comments.
Thank you K8 that was very educational. This is a medication I don’t know much about. I’m glad to hear it has promising uses but also agree it needs to given properly
K8 Great comment, I think is enlightening to know this kind of information not for gossip reasons but for addiction behavior knowledge. It doesn’t affect the public opinion about MP if something it makes him greater, cause he went beyond his entertaining persona and shared his human struggle, now we owe him more
I have noticed that some people feel uncomfortable about this issue but at the same time there are so many well informed readers sharing their experiences, feels like an opportunity to learn
It makes me wonder if his doctor wouldn’t prescribe it to him for home use because of his addiction issues, so he decided to dose himself.
Same feelings across the board, K8—I’m beyond grateful for ketamine infusions, but I initially attempted to get an oral or spray prescription through Mindbloom. They declined because of the combination of my history of substance abuse as well as ongoing medical issues, and so referred me to a clinic instead. This is responsible, ethical behavior. But if a telehealth provider didn’t screen him—with his struggles and his fragile health both being major liabilities—I shudder to think what will happen next. This is really a disaster.
His ketamine therapy was working, so the doctor reduced the fréquence. Obviously Perry was feeling ill again and wanted help. His treatment that had been working. Pretty distatsteful to infer he was “partying” or “relapsed.”
High levels of ketamine were found in his blood. This ketamine was unrelated to his ketamine treatment which was too many days prior to his death and would no longer be present in his blood.
Perry appears to have been self-dosing on ketamine and at dosages in excess of his ketamine therapy dosage.
Hana is right—it may very well have been a prescription. Telehealth providers now exist (they advertise on Instagram), and they prescribe sprays and, I believe, pills. People can self-dose legally and relatively safely. Providers are rightfully nervy, though, and the screening process is supposed to disqualify anyone with a history of substance abuse; they will recommend a local clinic for infusions instead.
I don’t know how he obtained the drug, but he was self-medicating, end of. It’s very hard for a layperson to get dosages right, harder still to dose oral ketamine correctly. The dose was wrong; that’s all we know.
Sounds like to me he thought he was cheating the system. The Ketamine gave him a high but since it was prescribed. He thought it would be safe. Which is how so many accidental OD’s happen. If he had been anywhere but a hot tub. He may very well still be alive today.
Just a sad tragic loss of life.
The autopsy showed a host of issues with his vital organs. I think the drug and hot tub set him over the edge. Did anybody else read he had unregulated/untreated high blood pressure? Also, having just finished his book, he had a habit of getting prescribed something for treatment or pain and buying it illegally and taking huge amounts of it. I suspect he got into ketamime this way.
I will say this also having read his book. Children are deeply affected by their childhoods. His addictions seemed to stem from feeling neglected as a child. All of his mental health issues seemed to be rooted in that and led him down the path to addiction. Yes, he did therapy, but I don’t think he could fully shake those initially feelings. I myself was abused and or neglected by my mother as a a child and it has effected my adult relationships tremendously. I am avoidant attachment and leave at the first sign of trouble much like Matthew. It is very hard and hard work to work past some of these things. I urge everyone with kids to make them a priority.
In the first chapter of the book when he described being on the plane alone as a child, I was already crying and saying “Oh, sweetie”.
He never felt like he was enough, or truly worthy of being loved.
It’s heartbreaking.
@kiks It truly is heartbreaking. I hope he is at peace now.
I will choose to not let this information loom over the fact that he was strong, worked hard at trying to stay sober and helped so many others with their own addictions, along the way. RIP Matthew.
Ketamine is often used in psychiatric treatment for difficult to treat depression. He likely didn’t get this off the street. He likely was using ketamine therapy in a doctor’s office to help exorcise those demons
He was using it in an office, but this fatal dose was outside of his regular treatment.
Ketamine has a very short half life. I work in a ketamine treatment clinic. What he had in his system was not from his treatment if everything reported is accurate.
The ongoing list of successful, creative, talented people who have died young due addiction seems very tragic. Belushi, Farley, Phil Hartman and wife, murder/suicide, Amy, Morrison, Hendricks, Curt, Judy, Lenny, Elvis, Keith Moon, Bon Scott, Janis, etc.
JMO, but their wealth and fame appears to give them even more options to continue their addictions. Doctor shopping, having several doctors in rotation, hangers on, PA, dealers wanting to get close to fame all take orders or refuse to say No when the addict wants drugs. Dealers have no shame, period. Money trumps.
MP went to Switzerland for his K dr. supervised treatment. Alternate therapies, grasping for straws, or more easy to bend the rules and get his own way?
As a legal Adult, MP made his own choices, his family could not “sign him into the hospital” and have him held for treatment. Lots of people still think this is possible.
I was married and divorced an alcoholic. I spent several years while married trying everything I knew to help him stop drinking. Nothing worked. I filed for divorce to save myself. I was on the edge of a complete breakdown.
Even years later, as he continued to drink, his family would call me begging me to “help him, he’ll listen to you, he is going to die, etc.” But, he did not listen to me, he never did, he kept me hostage to his addiction. As far as I know, he is still drinking, no longer employed, and added drug use to the liquor a decade ago. I sometimes wonder how he has survived, many near death issues. Same as MP.
Addiction puts the addict and their families thru hell.
R.I.P. MP.
Wow, Janes. That is a lot. I’m so sorry his birth family tried to make you responsible for his recovery. But you stood strong for your own health and happiness which, in the end, is all any of us can do, no matter how much we love someone. Peace.
Thank you for the kind words.
Yes, even 10-12 years after our divorce, his Sister would call me, repeatedly. Stuck in the desperate idea that “he’ll listen to you” No. He kept going farther and farther into the next drink, then harder drugs for years.
Divorced 25+ years. His addiction damaged me to the point that I have never even had a man as a platonic friend since.
Matthew Perry kept trying to overcome and for that, I admire him.
Oh @JaneS, I very much understand where you are coming from. I know how hard it is to make the decision to remove yourself from an addict, but it has to be done or they will pull you into the black hole with them. It really is the most difficult thing for everyone who loves them.
They said his last treatment was days ago, it would have been out of his system. He was getting blasted at home off his own supply. Maybe he got it off the street maybe he got it from an LA doctor but it wasn’t part of his therapy
@sharell so you were there? *insert eyeroll*
Insert all the eye rolls you want, but the FACTS are that his therapeutic dose would have long since been out of his system entirely. Good grief, it says RIGHT IN THIS ARTICLE that this was in no way connected to a therapeutic dosage. 🤣
Addiction sucks. I’ve been trying to quit smoking for YEARS and trust me, I know how bad it is for me. I live in constant shame.
While my addiction won’t likely kill me immediately, it definitely gives me sympathy for those that have addictions to stronger, more dangerous substances. I don’t know that anyone ever really overcomes addiction.
RIP Matthew Perry.
I’m certain that the butenorphine (a morphine synthetic??) also depressed his breathing~that is why a lot of heroin addicts die, they pass out and stop breathing because opioids severely affect respiration. Add that to enough ketamine found in his system to still register at autopsy?! Yikes. The sackler family will NEVER be able to repay the colossal destruction they caused in society. 🤬
I thought I read somewhere that you could get K as a nose spray for at home use. Not sure if I’m remembering right. We have a K clinic in my town. I considered it and TMS for my PTSD. Chose TMS. It worked okay, and is t permanent. But there weren’t any serious side effects for me, and I wasn’t worried about it killing me! I’ve read great testimonials about depression, PTSD and anxiety being healed with K, but it wasn’t for me then and it won’t ever be an option for me now.
The saddest thing of all is that there was no one to help him. He died alone, I can’t accept that.
He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered.
Rest in peace.