what was the genesis of his addictions?
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shareI watched an interview with him today from last year. He spoke very
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MovieChat Forums > Matthew Perry Discussion > what was the genesis of his addictions?
I watched an interview with him today for last year. He spoke openly about his addiction. He started drinking at 14. He had always felt he was missing out on something and felt alcohol helped. The interview is on Hulu. It’s an interview with Diane Sawyer. It was tough to watch and shocking.
shareYes, one of the hallmarks of severe addiction is starting very young. Matthew Perry started VERY YOUNG.
shareI read his book. There was no reason at all for him to go this addicted. There are many addicted celebrities. But none of them are that deep. He kept and kept using and drinking himself to death. And occasionally stopped only briefly. Mainly because he was physically sick and was afraid to die. I think that what's saved him all those years. He said himself. He didn't want to die. So when things went too bad - he was going to rehab. Got help, stopped for some time. Then started using again.
It's amazing he lasted this long and that he could film whole 10 seasons of Friends and press didn't even knew about his crazy addiction. There were suspicions. Mainly because of his weight loss and gaining it. But other than that he was left mostly alone.
it's very sad, he seemed to have it all.
shareIt's amazing he lasted this long and that he could film whole 10 seasons of Friends and press didn't even knew about his crazy addiction.
Many addicts are really good at hiding it. We probably all know at least one addict and have no idea because they hide it so well. share
I read many updates on his addiction. The first was way back in 1997 when he looked awfully skinny and admitted to being hooked on pain pills. The second update was a 2001/2002 People magazine article(he was on the cover, fresh out of rehab, looking "Hot!").
Then the third, fourth, fifth etc. were pics of Matt looking way out of sorts, walking in his Pajama's, smoking a cig looking very unhappy. The last update was that reunion, he was so distraught his castmates were visibly worried about him.
He started drinking at a very young age. But the kicker was that he hurt his back on a movie set and someone gave him a painkiller pill (Percocet) and he took it. He said once that happened, he loved it so much that he wanted to feel that way for the rest of his life. And he was hooked.
shareI feel that probably he never found a purpose in life, especially after the big success of Friends. He had no goal larger than going for a good time and fun experiences. He wasn't really living his life. Life was living him. That kind of setup is bound to turn out badly eventually, one way or another.
shareIn his book, he said he was prescribed pain meds after falling off a jet ski and got addicted.
shareIts complicated. Probably factor in - low self esteem (which amplifies 'the buzz' - going from feeling at resting state miserable to elated), obsessive-compulsive inclination (closely related to the first), easy availability, the feeling of 'getting away with something', escapism, etc., the basic momentum of force of habit, a shame-based attitude to life. A life salad of dysfunction.
That's my nickel's worth of insight. Whatever it was, he had it bad. There are variations - many people DO recover. He didn't, perhaps couldn't, almost certainly wouldn't.