Matthew Perry 'sat alone in the back' at rehab meetings as his fame kept him from interacting with others
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Matthew Perry "sat alone in the back" of addiction support groups because his fame prevented him from interacting with others, as per Nick Matthews, a former addict who was interviewed for the bombshell documentary, 'TMZ Investigates: Matthew Perry & The Secret Celebrity Drug Ring'.
The late 'Friends' actor appeared "melancholy" and uncomfortable during these meetings, claims Matthews, who apparently attended multiple of these meetings, according to Radar Online.
Matthew Perry might have 'had a circle of enablers'
The '17 Again' star's use of the controversial ketamine therapy to address his anxiety and depression was the final straw in his addiction journey.
Matthew Perry was apparently hopelessly hooked within weeks of beginning the drug use, and he died from ketamine overdose and subsequent frowning on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54
Matthews—who used to see the actor at group meetings in West Hollywood— says his recovery from drug addiction became possible in large part due to the encouragement he received from other treatment participants.
He went on to join the fight by starting his own rehabilitation facilities, and since 2013 he has not taken a drink.
Perry, however, had a quite different experience. Despite attending 15 rehab facilities in 30 years and experiencing fleeting periods of sobriety, the actor found it difficult to abstain from drugs for most of his adult life.
Matthews explained that Perry looked "melancholy" and as though he was "not feeling comfortable with the same vulnerability that I had."
He added, "I would just see [Perry] sitting by himself quietly in the back, while we’re all having meaningful connection with one another." Matthews further noted that it was "very, very clear" Perry "had a circle of enablers," before adding that this is "always going to be true when you're at that level of celebrity."
"You have a group of people around you, yes men, enablers that just get things done for you. And you could see that," shared the former addict.
As the CEO of two celebrity-studded addiction treatment facilities in Miami, Florida, and Montecito, California, Matthews personally witnessed how stardom can impede the healing process.
He clarified, "It's difficult to exist like that, where everybody knows who you are just at a glance."
Reasons why Matthew Perry could not recover
The troubled actor was finally on the road to recovery after a lifetime of fighting his demons. However, the beloved actor eventually could not make it to the end.
Matthew Perry had been in and out of about 15 upscale treatments for alcohol and prescription drug usage issues before arriving in the Alps, according to The Hollywood Reporter,
He spent a month in 2001 at the opulent detox compound in Malibu; sometime after 2004 at the therapeutic "trauma camp" in Florida; and in 2011 at the rustic lodge in Sun Valley, Utah, where he participated in equine therapy and yoga.
Perry reportedly spent around $9 million on rehab services over the course of his recovery, not counting the $350,000 he paid for the private jet he chartered to carry him to and from the Switzerland facility.
It came out that the infusion treatment he was receiving in that Swiss room was ketamine, the same drug that would ultimately cause his death in October 2023.
It was previously reported that Perry became so addicted to ketamine that he started buying large amounts of it illegally, spending more than $67,000 a month.
His fame and wealth might have contributed to his downfall as well. His wealth and fame attracted a group of self-serving supporters who encouraged his drug use. Among them were the five people the LAPD and the FBI detained following his death.
With the terrible toll the narcotics had on his health, Perry was happily spared the consequences of his actions due to his unlimited money, which gave him an unrestricted chance for indulgence.
He suffered from coronary artery disease, diabetes, emphysema, and chronic pancreatic fibrosis. Following a colon rupture in 2018, Perry underwent multiple abdominal surgeries and was left with a colostomy bag for nine months.
In addition, his upper teeth came out in 2021, right before the 'Friends' reunion was filmed.
The unique stresses of a Hollywood career—including the pressure from agents, network executives, and studio heads to deliver on schedules that leave little time for healing—are added to all of the above, and it becomes clear why so many experts believe that fame and wealth are more of a barrier to sobriety than a help.
