Matthew Perry’s alcohol struggles: The dark side to the life of one of TV’s most beloved funnymen

Matthew Perry’s demise has left a deep void in the hearts of millions of fans and the entire Hollywood community. The man who made us all laugh in times of stress did not have an easy life himself. Perry’s lifelong struggle with alcoholism and health problems only showcases his internal turmoil which he hid in the garb of his larger-than-life character Chandler Bing. Not only this but the late actor had gotten a second chance to life at the age of 49.

Matthew Perry recalled his struggle with alcohol and opioids in his memoir

In his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing, he penned down the tumultuous times of his life. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, Perry recounted his lifelong struggle with addiction to alcohol and opioids. He wrote that he had his first drink at 14 years of age, but didn’t recognize the signs of alcoholism until 21. Since then, he estimated, he’d spent more than $7 million on efforts to get sober which included multiple stints in rehab. His substance abuse also led to a number of serious health issues, including a five-month hospitalization in the year 2018 following a colon rupture that left him, he wrote, with a 2% chance of living through the night.

Also Read: Matthew Perry's top 10 moments from Friends which made us fall in love with Chandler Bing over and over again 

Matthew Perry had two-percent chance of living during surgery

A report in Hindustan Times stated that the Fools Rush In actor further added that he was fighting for his life after his colon burst due to OxyContin use in 2018. He also said that his heart stopped working during the surgery. Matthew was quoted as saying, “The doctors told my family that I had a two-percent chance to live. That's the time I really came close to my life ending. It wasn't a heart attack — I didn't flatline — but nothing had been beating.” He was also in a coma for two weeks and had a colostomy bag for about a year.

Also Read: Matthew Perry's Friends co-star Maggie Wheeler aka Janice mourns his loss, other celebrities react 

About his gut-wrenching struggle with alcoholism, Matthew wrote, “And it didn't do the damage that alcohol was already starting to do. In fact, it was getting harder and harder to wake up after a night of drinking." Meanwhile, the actor’s body was found in a hot tub on October 28, 2023, and police officials are investigating his death.