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Matthew Perry Opens Up About Drug Addiction

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Actor Matthew Perry is best known as Chandler Bing, the character he played on the long ­running TV series Friends from 1994 – ­2004. The show was hugely successful and earned Perry an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (though he lost to Ray Romano). Perry also appeared in the films Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards, and Serving Sara.

Matthew Perry Drugs: Health and Wellness

In 1997, Perry completed a 28 ­day program for a Vicodin addiction. Friends fans will remember a Chandler Bing whose weight fluctuated over the course of several seasons.

“When I was in big trouble, it was so public because I was on a TV show that 30 million people were watching,” said Perry. “The fact that I am on TV makes people listen a little bit more, so I take advantage of that from time to time.”

Perry was down to 145 pounds at one point, and even lost 20 pounds in 2000, allegedly due to pancreatitis. In 2001, he entered rehab again to treat an addiction to Vicodin, methadone, amphetamines and alcohol. His stints in rehab ultimately ended with successful results. Sober living for Perry meant helping others in their struggle with addiction.

The Perry House

As a sober member of society, Perry has been giving back to others who are struggling with their own addictions. In 2013, he opened up his 2.5 acre four­bedroom Malibu home to men as a sober­living facility called Perry House. It offered meditation programs and a 12­step workshop.

In support of his efforts to help people, he took this passion of addiction recovery to Congress, where he advocated in favor of courts to allow drug offenders to seek treatment rather than be put in jail.

Perry in 2015

This past June, Matthew Perry received the 2015 Phoenix Rising Award and the 2015 Public Service Awards at the 12th Annual Triumph for Teens Awards Gala. The event, put on by the Phoenix House, celebrates victories of youth in overcoming their addictions and recognizes contributions and accomplishments that have positively influenced the health and welfare of their community.

Longtime friend and Friends co­star Lisa Kudrow was in attendance to support Perry, who was outspokenly modest about receiving the awards. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter Perry said, “I shouldn’t be getting an award; Phoenix House should be getting an award.”

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