Here’s What Matthew Perry Said in His Memoir About Ketamine, the Drug Linked to His Death

The late actor Matthew Perry's autopsy report revealed that he died from the 'acute effects of ketamine' in October 2023. The 54-year-old Friends star openly discussed his drug use in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir. Perry's revelations shed light on a difficult chapter in his life, revealing the problems he faced while at a Swiss rehab clinic during the pandemic.

According to Marca, Perry's memoir delves into his experiences with ketamine infusions, which he describes as a 'giant exhale.' The actor received the treatment while blindfolded and listening to music, and he frequently felt a sense of 'disassociation,' as if he were 'dying.'

"Ketamine was a very popular street drug in the 1980s. There is a synthetic form of it now, and it's used for two reasons: to ease pain and help with depression," Perry wrote in his memoir. "Has my name written all over it - they might as well have called it 'Matty'. 'Oh,' I thought, 'This is what happens when you die'. Yet I would continually sign up for this s**t because it was something different, and anything different is good," he wrote. Despite how intense the experience was, Perry admitted, "Taking K is like being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel. But the hangover was rough and outweighed the shovel. Ketamine was not for me." 

An article from Variety revealed the details of Perry's death. The toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office pointed to ketamine's acute effects, with drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, as contributing factors. The cause of death was determined to be an accident.

According to the toxicology report, Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion therapy to treat depression and anxiety. The report emphasized that the main lethal effects of the high levels of ketamine found in his postmortem blood specimens would be cardiovascular overstimulation and respiratory depression.

Despite his long-standing battle with addiction, Perry had been sober for 19 months before his death, demonstrating his dedication to overcoming personal challenges. The autopsy report clarified that due to the half-life of ketamine, his last transfusion could not have been a factor in his death.

Perry's death shocked the entire world, prompting heartfelt tributes from his Friends co-stars. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer issued a joint statement expressing their grief and emphasizing their special bond as a family. Aniston revealed that she texted Perry on the day of his death, emphasizing his positive and healthy outlook.

Cox paid tribute to Perry in a personal Instagram post, sharing a blooper video from the Friends set and expressing gratitude for every moment she spent with him. LeBlanc reflected fondly on their times together on and off the stage as well.