Addiction, no matter what form, is one of the most difficult battles a person can go through in one’s life. It drains you of any interest in anything other than the addiction, it can cost you relationships, you could lose your job, and your home. Your life can spiral out of control.
But the addiction to whatever it is can convince you that everything will be alright if you just keep using. Some overcome it and come out the other side, some battle their whole lives off and on, and some lose their battle and pass away. There’s no way to sugar-coat it. And addiction doesn’t care who you are, it will find you. With that being said, Matthew Perry has written a new book about his own struggles with addiction and sat down with Diane Sawyer for an exclusive interview that will air on Friday.
The Friends actor opens up, more than he ever has before, about his struggle with opioids and alcohol that started long before the series and has gone on past the series as well. His alcohol addiction began when he was just 14 years old and pills came later and then he mixed the two together, eventually leading to many health problems and hospitalizations. Perry even admits he shouldn’t still be alive today. Somehow, he is and is still fighting every day through his addiction.
Credit: ABC News/YouTube
Credit: ABC News/YouTube
Looking back on his time during Friends Perry says he was taking 55 Vicodin and a quart of vodka a day. Perry credits Jennifer Aniston for coming to him about his addiction and checking in on him as he was in several rehabs, trying to get clean. Even with the cast and his family and friends, he still felt alone and kept using. Perry wrote this book and decided to do this interview now after being in a good place with his sobriety and being ready to talk about all of this, hoping to help people by sharing his story.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or struggling with mental health, please call this number or seek help. There are people out there who want to help you and will help you.
On a happier note, you can buy the iconic couch from the hit series…not the actual sofa but one just like it from Central Perk.
