Anti-Depressants, Anti-Anxiety Meds Found In Matthew Perry's Home
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on October 29, 2023 at 11:45 AM EDT
Prescription anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications were reportedly found in Matthew Perry's home following his tragic death on Saturday evening, although sources say that no illegal narcotics were discovered at the scene.
The "Friends" star had made it no secret that he had struggled with addiction for years, even opening up about that time in his life in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing."
Perry was discovered on Saturday evening, in his jacuzzi, which made many speculate he could have relapsed. At this time, the cause of death is believed to be drowning.
Prescribed Drugs Reportedly Found In Matthew Perry's Home
Law enforcement officials have confirmed that the only drugs found in Perry's home were prescribed anti-depressants and prescribed anti-anxiety, though that's not to say they did not play a role in his death. The incident remains under investigation.
In addition to the anti-anxiety and anti-depressants found, police also found a prescription COPD drug, which is a medication for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, usually used for people with emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
The "Friends" actor was a smoker and had also battled an addiction to alcohol as well as drugs; however, prior to his death, he claimed to have been clean.
Police officials told CNN that they initially believed that they were attending a possible 'water rescue' at Perry's Pacific Palisades home after a call came in at 4:07 p.m. PST Saturday.
When the police arrived, they found the 54-year-old "Friends" actor in his hot tub, unresponsive. He is believed to have drowned.
Perry Was Candid About His Past Addiction Struggles
During his time on the hit sitcom, "Friends," the actor, who portrayed Chandler Bing, struggled with addiction, which he hid from a lot of people, including his costars.
“[I was] at the height of my highest point in ‘Friends’, the highest point in my career, the iconic moment on the iconic show,” the actor explained in an interview when promoting his memoir last year. “When you’re a drug addict, it’s all math. I wasn’t doing it to feel high or to feel good. I certainly wasn’t a partyer; I just wanted to sit on my couch, take five Vicodin, and watch a movie. That was heaven for me. It no longer is.”
Perry said he had been clean for 18 months at the time. “I’ve probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober,” he ventured.
In his 2022 memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," he revealed that he had 14 surgeries on his stomach after he was told he had a “2% chance to live."
“The doctors told my family that I had a two percent chance to live,” he told People at the time. “I was put on a thing called an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. And that’s called a Hail Mary. No one survives that.”
That being said, one of the most striking things the actor said during his book tour was that he would like to be remembered “as a guy who lived life, loved well, lived well, and helped people. That running into me was a good thing and not something bad.”
Rest in peace, Matthew Perry.
