Matthew Perry Claimed Taking Ketamine Felt Like 'Dying' Despite Star Having Drug in His System at Time of Death

Matthew Perry previously denounced ketamine despite the tranquilizer being the star’s tragic demise.

After the Friends alum’s autopsy report revealed his October 28 death was due to the “acute effects of ketamine,” a portion of his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir, resurfaced, where Perry spoke about using the drug.

The 54-year-old shared he received ketamine infusions at a Swiss rehab clinic amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“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 said of the substance. “Has my name written all over it — they might as well have called it ‘Matty.’”

He noted ketamine felt like a “giant exhale” and shared he would take the drug while blindfolded and listening to music.

The actor explained he would “disassociate” during the treatments and claimed they felt like “dying.”

“‘Oh,’ I thought, ‘This is what happens when you die,'” he wrote. “Yet I would continually sign up for this s--- because it was something different, and anything different is good.”

The celeb, who struggled with drug addiction throughout his life, continued, “Taking K is like being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel. But the hangover was rough and outweighed the shovel.”

“Ketamine was not for me,” he concluded.

Despite what he penned in his memoir, Perry’s toxicology report said he had been getting ketamine infusions after his stay in Switzerland, however, the last infusion happened over a week before his death.

The medical examiner noted ketamine’s half-life is only three to four hours, which means the treatment did not contribute to his passing.

Dr. Bankole Johnson told Page Six on Friday, December 15, that the ketamine in Perry’s system was “more likely” for recreational use.

As OK! previously reported, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner released the autopsy report on Friday.

Alongside ketamine, other contributing factors in Perry's death included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, which is used in the treatment of opioid use disorder.

The death was also ruled to have been an accident.

Perry’s heartbreaking passing in his hot tub completely devastated those close to him, including his former Friends cast members, who have spoken about their grief.

His death particularly shook Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green on the famous sitcom.

In a recent interview with Variety, Aniston emotionally shared she had been talking to Perry just one day before his death.

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“He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy — that’s all I know,” she said. “I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.”

She added, “I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy. He was on a pursuit. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one. I miss him dearly. We all do. Boy, he made us laugh really hard.”