The One Where We Remember Matthew Perry For What Matters: His Addiction Activism
Matthew Perry Has Passed On, But His Legacy Fighting Addiction Lives On
Remember when Chandler Bing struggled with cigarette addiction on Friends? No telling if Matthew Perry was involved in that writing process but it remains a part of what would become a major part of Perry’s life. This weekend Matthew Perry of Friends passed away with subsequent pop culture fan sorrow.
In a Tom Power 2022 podcast interview, Perry implied his biggest impact was on addiction therapy. Perry said, “I created the Perry House in Malibu, a sober-living facility for men. I also wrote my play The End of Longing, which is a personal message to the world, an exaggerated form of me as a drunk. I had something important to say to people like me, and to people who love people like me.”
Perry was vocal about addiction being “an allergy of the body” and “an obsession of your mind” on BBC Newsnight debating Peter Hitchens in 2013. Matthew Perry would continue to be vocal about his struggle with addiction and helping others to fight theirs over the course of the next ten years.
We have all met someone who is struggling with addiction, whether you know it or not. Prioritizing substance abuse treatment on a societal level is the best thing we can do. If you or someone you know needs help dial the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). You can also consider donating to the National Institute on Drug Abuse or a dedicated nonprofit.
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