Matthew Perry revealed ketamine made him think he was ‘dying’ in his 2022 memoir

Months after Matthew Perry's shocking death, autopsy reports have finally confirmed the cause of his demise. On Friday, December 15, reports confirmed that the Friends actor died from the acute effects of anaesthetic ketamine. In 2022, Perry discussed the ill effects of ketamine in his book Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir. He revealed that he received ketamine infusions during his time in a Swiss rehab clinic during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ketamine made Matthew Perry feel he was ‘dying’

The 17 Again actor explained in his memoir, “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.” He admitted to heavy ketamine usage and joked, “Has my name written all over it — they might as well have called it ‘Matty’.”

Perry also revealed that he enjoyed the drug, calling it a “giant exhale.” During the time of administration, he listened to music while blindfolded.

However, he also admitted that the drug made him feel as if he were “dying” and would cause him to “dissociate” during infusions. Recalling the incident, he wrote, “‘Oh,’ I thought, ‘This is what happens when you die.'” Perry continued, “Yet I would continually sign up for this s**t because it was something different, and anything different is good.”

The late actor also added, “Taking K is like being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel. But the hangover was rough and outweighed the shovel.” The effects of the drug were so bad that Perry concluded the chapter with, “Ketamine was not for me.”

Matthew Perry's autopsy report

The autopsy report put an end to the mystery surrounding Perry's death and confirmed he died of “acute effects of ketamine.” The report also revealed that Perry continued receiving ketamine infusions even after he moved out of the Swiss rehab. However, the report confirmed that his last usage was a week and a half before his sudden death.