Matthew Perry was a beloved actor who was taken from us too early by drug overdose. Read on to learn how ketamine played a part in his departure.
Even celebrities can suffer from mental health disorders and substance abuse issues, which can come as a surprise to some. Celebrities like Matthew Perry can cultivate a mystique about them that makes them seem either a ball us all or like normal mainstays. We get used to seeing their faces and their performances, forgetting that the real people underneath have all sorts of struggles.
This is exactly how people can be caught off guard when they learn that not only will the celebrity take drugs, but that they took so many drugs that they overdosed. This includes the shock that people received when they learned that Matthew Perry died at just the age of 54.
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Who was Matthew Perry? Matthew Perry beloved actor most known for playing Chandler Bing on friends.
What Killed Matthew Perry? Ketamine killed Matthew Perry.
Why Was Matthew Perry Taking Ketamine? Matthew Perry was prescribed ketamine for depression.
Who is the Ketamine Queen? The Ketamine Queen was one of Matthew Perry’s drug dealers who sold him excessive amounts of the drug.
How Much Ketamine Killed Matthew Perry? Matthew Perry had the same amount ketamine in his system that is used as a general anesthetic.
How Severe is Celebrity Drug Use in General? Celebrity drug use exceeds that of the normal population.
What Can We Learn From Matthew Perry’s Drug Overdose? Matthew Perry’s drug overdose shows that even famous individuals struggle with hidden mental health disorders.
FAQs About Ketamine Addiction. Learn about some frequently asked questions involving ketamine addiction.
Who was Matthew Perry?
Matthew Perry was a famous American actor whose main claim to fame is starting as Chandler Bing in the NBC sitcom Friends. Friends ran from 1994 to 2004 and was one of the most popular and highest grossing television shows of all time.
It was reported that Matthew Perry was making as much as $20 million a year in residuals from Friends, which says a lot about how popular the show was even decades after its initial airing. That further speaks to how much of a shock it was when Americans heard about Chandler Bing’s death.
What Killed Matthew Perry?
Matthew Perry’s death is directly attributable to ketamine. He was found unresponsive in his hot tub in his home in Los Angeles, where his body was tested and determined to have “high levels of ketamine” during a postmortem blood test.
Why Was Matthew Perry Taking Ketamine?
Matthew Perry was taking ketamine in order to medicate for his depression. He had often spoken about his mental health struggles, and he seemed to have determined that ketamine would be the best way to self medicate.
This is actually an issue that happens often to individuals. Rather than seeking proper mental health rehab or trusted advisor for medical professionals, they’ll seek to self medicate with drugs to alleviate symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders.
In Matthew Perry’s case, this led to him developing an addiction to ketamine. Worse still, reports seem to show that the individuals who were giving him ketamine, including a doctor and a dealer known as the “ketamine queen” did not have his best interests at heart. As a result, he was free to use ketamine outside of recommended usage, sometimes taking it as often as six times a day.
Who is the Ketamine Queen?
The Ketamine Queen is Jasveen Sangha, aged 42. She is a San Fernando Valley woman who was charged as a result of Matthew Perry’s death. She pled guilty to five federal criminal charges, accepting culpability for ketamine distribution and ketamine distribution resulting in death or serious bodily injury.
An official statement from the Justice Department revealed that Sangha was working with Erik Fleming to distribute ketamine to Matthew Perry. In October 2023, they reportedly sold Perry 51 vials of ketamine all at once.
Two days after Perry’s theft, Erik Fleming contacted the Ketamine Queen and texted this message:
“Please call . . . Got more info and want to bounce ideas off you. I’m 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with [Perry]. Only his Assistant. So the Assistant was the enabler. Also they are doing a 3 month tox screening . . . Does K stay in your system or is it immediately flushed out[?].”
Additionally, the Ketamine Queen admitted to selling four valves of ketamine to a victim named Cody McLaury in August 2019, who died hours later from a drug overdose.
Individuals like the Ketamine Queen contribute to drug overdose deaths across the United States. They sell to addicts with little regard for the consequences, focusing more on as much monetary gain as possible. This is why it’s so important for friends and family to be able to recognize the signs of drug addiction in an individual. Those who would enable it will only sit back and watch as addiction continues to take over someone’s life.
How Much Ketamine Killed Matthew Perry?
While it is not known exactly how much ketamine was in Matthew Perry’s body at the time of his death, the medical examiner said the levels in his body were in the same range as that used during general anesthesia. Additionally, the examiner mentioned that his ketamine infusion therapy, which was a more standardized way of him taking ketamine, would not explain the levels that were present in his body at the time of theft.
The same report also mentioned that coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed.
How Severe is Celebrity Drug Use in General?
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), workers in the arts and entertainment use some of the highest numbers of drug usage. In particular:
- 11.5% of workers reported past month heavy alcohol use compared to 8.7% of all surveyed workers (3rd highest total of all listed industries)
- 13.7% of workers reported past month illicit drug use compared to 8.6% of all surveyed workers (2nd highest total of all listed industries)
- 12.9% of workers reported past year drug or alcohol dependence compared to 9.5% of all surveyed workers (3rd highest total of all listed industries)
Drug usage is rampant in the entertainment industry, particularly among musicians, actors, and athletes. Despite their fame and power, these are individuals just like the rest of us. They need proper support and care in order to fight addiction before they succumb to drugs.
What Can We Learn From Matthew Perry’s Drug Overdose?
There are several important lessons that we can take away from Matthew Perry’s drug overdose in order to move forward as a society:
- Individuals that seem to have it all can still be struggling. Thanks to his role as Chandler Bing, Matthew Perry was a millionaire, famous, and beloved across America. Even still, he struggled with depression for most of his life, to the point that he sought to use medication to help alleviate the symptoms.
- Your environment plays a crucial role in your ability to curb a drug addiction. Matthew Perry was enabled in his ketamine abuse. The doctor, the Ketamine Queen, and even his assistant provided access to dangerous levels of ketamine, and Matthew Perry ultimately paid the price.
- It’s important to build a support network that will not only look out for you, but be willing to challenge you. As a famous celebrity, Matthew Perry likely had no issue getting what he wanted generally. But someone who was willing to tell him that his ketamine uses what spiraling could help make a difference, so long as Perry was also willing to listen.
Drug addiction can come for us all. If you or a loved one are suffering, don’t hesitate to reach out to Southeastern Recovery Center. We focus on providing care to individuals across North Carolina to help create healthy, lifelong coping mechanisms.
FAQs About Ketamine Addiction
What is ketamine used for?
Ketamine is an anesthetic often used to induce unconsciousness.
How addictive is ketamine?
Ketamine is not the most addictive drug out there, but individuals can quickly become dependent on its effects.
What are some signs of ketamine addiction?
Signs of ketamine addiction include mood swings, dilated pupils, memory loss, and inability to stop using ketamine despite intent.
Can I rehab from ketamine addiction at home?
While you can attempt to rehab from ketamine at home, it’s much healthier and safer to seek out help from medical professionals. This is because ketamine withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, and depression can cause you to relapse.
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