Here's Why Charlie Sheen Says He Can Relate to Matthew Perry’s Addiction Struggle
In a candid interview, Charlie Sheen opened up about his personal connection to Matthew Perry’s battle with addiction. Sheen, who is almost six years sober, shared how he felt a deep resonance with Perry’s battles, having read Perry’s memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, just six weeks before the Friends star’s passing at the age of 54 due to the acute effects of ketamine.
"I felt something similar when he died about, wow, you could easily be reading about me instead, that was really sad when that happened. I can relate to it so much of it because I was reliving or I was experiencing it with him. A lot of the struggle, a lot of the obsession. When you're at that fork in the road when there are 76 really good choices, and you go with number 77. A lot of it really spoke to me."
Known for his near-fatal overdose in 1998, Sheen found common ground with Perry not only through shared experiences but also through occasional encounters in Hollywood and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings.
Sheen recalled Perry’s character, describing, "He was lovely. He was smart and funny, he was charming and it wasn't always about him. He included people. He was a special cat. I wish I knew him better. I'm not saying I could have influenced some change or helped him in any way, but yeah, I just wish I knew him better." Perry was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles home on October 28, and his sudden passing was attributed to the effects of ketamine.
As per E! News, the toxicology report revealed he had been 19 months sober at the time and had undergone ketamine infusion therapy a week and a half before he died to address depression and anxiety.
As per People, Sheen, who has undergone prominent personal transformation over the years, shared details regarding his own journey to sobriety. Celebrating almost six years of sobriety, Sheen acknowledges the drastic changes in his life. Recounting his past struggles with alcohol, Sheen recalled, "I loved drinking in the morning"
He added, "Loved some scotch in the coffee. One morning I'd forgotten my daughter had an appointment I'd promised to drive her to, and I'd already had a couple of pops that day, so had to call my friend Tony to take us. We got her there on time, but it broke my heart because she was in the backseat and I could just tell she was thinking, 'Why isn't dad driving?' So I got home and sat with that for the rest of the day. And the next morning I just stopped." Reflecting on his decision, he asserted, "There was just instant evidence that this was the side I needed to be on. I couldn't be in denial about it anymore."
