Here Is Why Matthew Perry's Death Might Be Too Much To Take!

Is Matthew Perry's death weighing heavy on your soul? Don't worry, you are not alone!

The late comedian gave the world plenty of reasons to laugh despite his personal tragedies, which is why millions, especially the 90s to the early 2000s generation, are grieving the loss of the Hollywood icon.

However, many cannot comprehend why fans are devastated by the famous "Friends" star's unexpected demise. For these critics and those needing validation of their feelings, here is a psychological approach to understanding why the entertainer's passing is a big deal.

After the beloved TV personality took his final breath on Saturday, October 28, fans of the NBC sitcom star have taken to social media platforms to mourn the 54-year-old's death. In the wake of these emotional reactions and tributes, a psychology and sociology instructor named Casey Lytle is weighing in on why many are devastated by Perry's demise.

In a recent TikTok video titled "Why celebrity deaths can hit hard," the author of "Debunked: Separate the Rational from the Irrational in Influential Conspiracy Theories" revealed he had seen similar questions from two opposing sides about the late actor's death.

Perry's devotees wished to know why they were emotionally hit by the death of someone they did not really know, while critics were upset that fans were grieving the loss of a TV personality. Reflecting on both questions, Lytle explained there was only one answer. The psychology professor said:

"There's a very simple answer to this one. Grief is not dictated by proximity. Your brain doesn't care if you ever knew them or not. Grief is dictated by the volume of emotional memories that are attached to that person."

The TikTok sensation continued saying, "How many emotional experiences you had through their media, whatever it is, if it's TV, or movies, or music, or literature. Whatever it is, that person had emotional significance and emotional relevance to you through their work or through who they are."

Lytle explained that sometimes, celebrities like Perry, through their media, are connected to times of our lives, giving them emotional significance. "And when that person is gone, your brain grieves that they are gone," the sociology instructor stated, citing people's heartbroken reactions to the deaths of fictional characters. In the media personality's words:

"Not only did you never really know them, consciously you know it's not even a real character that the actor isn't dead, that it's fiction. But that character, that fictional character, created emotional based memories associated with that character, and when they even fictionally pass away, your brain grieves because of that emotional connection."

Lytle stressed that fans were grieving because of their emotional connection with Perry through his movies, TV shows, and personal life. The professor noted that the target audience for "Friends," especially when the NBC sitcom aired in the 90s, will be significantly impacted by the entertainer's passing, given their love for his character, Chandler Bing.

As for critics, the author advised them to cease their harsh comments about Perry's fans, saying, "Just because you don't feel that same impact just cause you didn't care about any of the characters doesn't mean that it's invalid for them. I mean, would you go into someone else's funeral and criticize the family for grieving over that person?"

Lytle also assured fans that there was nothing "unusual or weird" about grieving over Perry's death as he is the first person from the "Friends" cast to pass away. The media personality noted that his death hit harder given the entertainer's struggles with addiction while filming the beloved show.

Following the sociology instructor's post, several fans echoed similar sentiments about the "Mr. Sunshine" star's death in the comments. One individual wrote, "I'm wrecked. Chandler said he would die alone, and Matthew Perry did die alone."

"I think for a lot of us, Chandler was the one we saw ourselves in. Chandler using humor and sarcasm as a defense mechanism is also something I do," another TikTok user penned. A third claimed, "Matthew Perry is the first celebrity I've ever cried for, ever. I'm absolutely gutted for his loss."

"This helped me understand why I'm feeling the way I'm feeling. I'm so struck with sadness, and no one understands why. RIP Matthew Perry," a fan lamented, with another agreeing, "I needed this validation. I've watched FRIENDS for 20 years. All my breakdowns ended watching Friends."

The late actor's former castmates — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Lisa Kudrow — shared similar heartbroken reactions in a joint statement. "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family," they wrote.

“There is so much to say, but right now, we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time, we will say more, as and when we are able,” the statement continued before concluding with, "For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."