Matthew Perry's Account of Seeking Ketamine Treatments for Depression Prior to Passing
Matthew Perry's decision to share his experience with ketamine treatments for depression before his untimely passing sheds light on his journey towards finding the right treatment Despite previously expressing hesitation, his openness sparked conversations about mental health and alternative therapies
Matthew Perry Taylor Hill/Getty Images
In 2022, Matthew Perry revealed in his memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing" that he had been undergoing ketamine treatments to alleviate pain and combat depression, nearly a year before his passing. He also mentioned that ketamine, which used to be a popular street drug in the 1980s, now has a synthetic form. Perry humorously remarked that the synthetic form could have been named 'Matty' as it seemed to be tailor-made for him.
Perry described the drug as a massive relief, admitting that he would mentally disconnect while undergoing treatment.
The toxicology report released on December 15 by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner revealed that Perry passed away on October 28 at the age of 54 due to the immediate impact of ketamine.
Perry wrote in his book that undergoing ketamine treatments made him feel like he was "dying" but he also explained why he kept signing up for it. He described it as something different and anything different was good. Perry compared taking K to being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel, but he also mentioned that the hangover was rough and outweighed the positive effects.
The Friends alum stated that Ketamine was not suitable for him. Additionally, the report from Friday also included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine - a drug used to treat opioid use - as contributing to his death. Ultimately, Perry's passing was ruled an accident.
Perry was discovered unconscious in his Los Angeles home hot tub on October 28, and authorities had responded to a call for a cardiac arrest. While the initial autopsy report did not determine Perry's cause of death, further investigation and a toxicology report were requested. Perry became famous for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends from 1994 to 2004 and openly addressed his struggles with substance abuse in his memoir. He admitted that he was only "completely sober" for one season of the show, often referring to season 9 as "the one where everyone was talking about Chandler" because of this.
Perry disclosed, "My addiction journey can be traced by observing my weight fluctuations throughout the seasons – when I'm heavier, it's due to alcohol; when I'm slimmer, it's because of pills. Also, when I have a goatee, it's a sign of heavy pill usage."
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Prior to his sudden passing, Perry said that he wanted to be remembered as someone who “wants to help people,” despite his struggles.
"I believe the most important thing about me is that I can confidently and genuinely help someone who struggles with alcoholism or drug addiction when they ask for assistance," he shared in a November 2022 episode of the "Q with Tom Power" podcast. "When I'm gone, I hope that this is what people remember about me, and I am committed to demonstrating it throughout my life."
