The world is in shock over the death of Matthew Perry, the beloved actor known for his role in “Friends.” However, Perry’s long and public battle with drug addiction was evident in a recent interview with Diane Sawyer. The interview, which took place in October 2022, discussed Perry’s struggles with addiction and his ominous prediction of his own demise.
Perry sat down with the legendary journalist to promote his memoir titled “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir” on ABC News. The conversation quickly took a dark turn as Sawyer read a passage from the book where Perry claimed, “My friends call me Matty and I should be dead.” Perry responded with a serious yet troubled expression, confirming the validity of the statement.
In the interview, Sawyer highlighted Perry’s belief that addicts can only overcome drug addiction with a strong support system. Perry admitted that he often used drugs to fill his time and that he was constantly battling his disease. He grimly stated, “You lose to the disease.”
Perry’s struggle with addiction was further revealed as he confessed to taking a staggering 55 pills of the painkiller Vicodin per day. When Sawyer questioned how he obtained so many pills, Perry admitted to raiding medicine cabinets at open houses and faking migraines to obtain prescriptions.
Although Perry had periods of sobriety, he admitted that his cockiness and refusal to continue learning led him back to drug use. He stopped attending 12-step meetings, making him more susceptible to relapse.
Throughout his life, Perry detoxed over 60 times, spent half his life in rehab or sober living, and attended countless AA meetings. His battle with addiction started at a young age, with his first drink at 14 and a daily consumption of alcohol by the time he turned 18.
Original article https://www.tmz.com/2023/10/29/matthew-perry-diane-sawyer-detail-struggle-drugs-interview-memoir/