Matthew Perry Was Rushed To Rehab Right After Filming One Of His Most Iconic Episodes Of Friends
According to an article in Us Magazine, Matthew Perry's substance abuse issues began in 1997 when he was injured in a jet ski accident and started taking Vicodin, which he became addicted to. According to a 2002 article in the New York TImes, the "Friends" star went into rehab for the first time that same year for Vicodin addiction. In 2000, he was hospitalized for a pancreas issue caused by alcohol and drug abuse.
In a 2022 interview with Diane Sawyer, Perry admitted that Jennifer Aniston confronted him about his substance abuse problem when the two worked together on the show, telling him that everyone in the cast knew he was drinking heavily. Perry explained that Aniston was the actor on the show who supported him the most in his recovery from substance abuse, and that he's very thankful for her support (via E!). Aniston wasn't the only one who noticed. In the aforementioned New York Times article, Kudrow talked about how helpless it felt to watch Perry struggle with his addition. "When Matthew was sick, it was not fun," she recalled. " We were just hopelessly standing on the sidelines."
Perry has come a long way from his darkest days of his addiction, but one of the hardest parts of his struggle with his addiction marred his memory of one of the most important scenes of "Friends": Chandler and Monica's wedding.
Matthew Perry was rushed to rehab after Chandler and Monica's wedding
In an October 2022 interview with the New York Times regarding his new memoir about his addiction "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," the "Friends" star revealed that he was celebrating 18 months of sobriety. He also explained how he hit one of the lowest points of his addiction when he was reaching one of the highest points of his career. "I married Monica and got driven back to the treatment center – at the height of my highest point on 'Friends,' the highest point in my career, the iconic moment on the iconic show – in a pickup truck helmed by a sober technician."
According to Perry's Instagram account, his book hit the number one spot on the New York Times Best Sellers list when it was released, meaning that his story is being disseminated and hopefully will help others going through the same thing. His Instagram was full of comments from people whose lives were touched by addiction thanking him for his memoir, such as user jennymatthewsonair who wrote "My brother died of an overdose. I read everything I can from an addict's perspective because I want to understand the 'why'. I appreciate your transparency." Hopefully more people get help and find understanding because of Perry's book.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).