Matthew Perry explored near-death experiences and ketamine in his memoir
Matthew Perry's autopsy reports attribute his demise to the 'acute effects of ketamine,' a substance he discussed in his memoir, 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.'
Updated : December 17, 2023 09:54 AM ISTMatthew Perry's autopsy reports attribute his demise to the 'acute effects of ketamine,' a substance he discussed in his memoir, 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.'
Mathew Perry (Source: FOX)
On October 28, Matthew Perry tragically lost his life in a bathtub drowning incident at his residence, leaving fans in disbelief. According to the autopsy report, the actor's demise was attributed to the acute effects of ketamine, a drug commonly employed in treating anxiety and depression.
In his memoir, Perry had openly discussed his experiences with the drug. He detailed the challenges of infusion therapy, revealing moments where he felt as if he was 'dying' and underwent dissociative episodes. Perry emphatically conveyed that 'ketamine was not for me.'
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Navigating the Depths
In 2022, Matthew Perry, known for his role in 'Friends,' released his memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir." Within the pages, Perry revealed that during the pandemic and shortly after his engagement to Molly Hurwitz, he underwent daily ketamine infusion therapy at a Swiss rehab clinic.
Reflecting on ketamine's history, Perry noted in his book, "Ketamine was a very popular street drug in the 1980s. There is a synthetic form of it now, and it's used for two reasons: to ease pain and help with depression." Describing it as a 'giant exhale,' he humorously remarked that the drug 'has my name written all over it—they might as well have called it 'Matty.’'
Matthew Perry's Candid Reflections
During the therapy, Perry frequently experienced sensations of impending demise, expressing, "I often thought that I was dying during that hour. Oh, I thought, this is what happens when you die." Despite these intense moments, he admitted to willingly participating in the sessions, stating, "Yet I would continually sign up for this s**t because it was something different, and anything different is good,” as revealed in an excerpt from his memoir.
In another part of the book, Perry made it clear that he believed the drug was not suited for him, stating, “Taking K is like being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel. But the hangover was rough and outweighed the shovel. Ketamine was not for me.”
Matthew Perry, aged 54, passed away on October 28. His lifeless body was discovered at a residence, specifically in a jacuzzi, where no drugs were found. The funeral service took place on November 3 at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in LA, near Warner Bros Studios. The entire lead cast of 'Friends,' including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer, attended the solemn occasion.
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