Matthew Perry, known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing on Friends, sadly passed away at the age of 54, leaving the world in mourning. Behind the facade of his character’s cool demeanor, most people are unaware of his personal battle with drug addiction, alcohol dependency, and anxiety.
In 1997, Perry became addicted to Vicodin, a pain medication with addictive properties, following a jet ski accident. This led to a three-year struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, resulting in noticeable fluctuations in his weight, even during the filming of Friends. In 2001, he sought rehab to address his addiction to substances like Vicodin, methadone, amphetamines, and alcohol.
When Perry later shared his experiences with substance abuse, he revealed that he couldn’t remember three years of his life from the ’90s and early 2000s. The toll of substance abuse had erased his recollection of three seasons of working on Friends.
Additionally, Perry faced anxiety while portraying Chandler in Friends. During the 2021 reunion special episode, he admitted to feeling as if he were on the verge of a life-threatening situation every night while performing in front of a live studio audience. He expressed his intense need for laughter and the physical stress he experienced when the audience did not respond as expected.
Is there a connection between substance abuse and anxiety? Research highlights a significant link between anxiety disorders and substance abuse. Recent studies have delved into the molecular mechanisms underlying anxiety disorders and the impact of alcohol on brain neurochemistry, shedding light on this intricate connection. The American Journal of Psychiatry also points out that individuals with anxiety often turn to recreational drugs, particularly alcohol, to alleviate their symptoms. Alcohol’s affordability and wide availability make it a common choice for self-medicating to address anxiety, low mood, and sleep issues. Prospective studies show a reciprocal cause-and-effect relationship between alcohol dependence and anxiety disorders over time, with anxiety disorders leading to alcohol dependence and vice versa.
