That was a med (Buprenorphine) that was noted as being “contributory.” Ketamine is a different medicine, and would most likely not be part of a legitimate therapy to battle addiction. It can be used for anxiety/depression, but my impression is that it is always given under direct medical supervision.
I would like to learn that this was the case (being ordered and overseen by a doctor for legit uses), but it’s not higher on the likelihood list than recreational use, or perhaps self-medicating use.
I’m sure this is a bitter pill to swallow for all of the friends who’ve supported his sobriety and the people that he’s brought to sobriety with his testimony/friendship.
It does go to show just how hard it is to ditch addiction.
ETA: I just read further that ketamine can be used to help with alcohol and heroin addiction, but it still seems that it is given under direct medical supervision. Maybe we will learn more about his use of this drug in the coming weeks. Somebody has to know about it.
For those of us that were pulling for him to conquer his demons, it would be comforting if we were to find he was just struggling to keep level, rather than searching for an alternate way to get high.
Not that it changes anything, or that any of it reflects a moral failing, but after reading his book, my impression was that he had really come out of the worst of it.
Its sadly not uncommon that famous people talk their doctors into giving them meds, (or perhaps allowing them to self medicate if they have been on it for a long time) that they otherwise wouldn’t give an “average” patient. Just hypothesizing.
I agree that those who are motivated to do so can procure just about any drug. It’s relatively straightforward to get Spravato for depression, and it’s use is growing rapidly. I just did a google search on ketamine clinics around me and there are at least a dozen within a half hour drive (Chicagoland suburbs). (Ketamine clinics started popping up when Spravato was approved in 2019 and are also growing rapidly.) Many of these do require an interview with a nurse to get the Rx (some do require a psychiatrist Rx in some states), but that’s not a big barrier.
There are also many physicians and psychologists/therapists who will prescribe it online which completely bypasses the label requirement of administering it in the presence of a healthcare prof. I expect most abuse is happening with Spravato, as compared to the infusion product, but I don’t have any data on that.
It’s interesting to note that ketamine is not physically addictive. Obviously, it can be psychologically addictive.
Compassionate Stanford/Harvard trained anesthesiologist explains ketamine and how it and the interactions with his other medications probably killed Matthew Perry. First 11-12 minutes discusses this, rest of it is a Q and A.
My brother kept his addiction under control for years … and then he couldn’t anymore. He tried so hard to overcome the addiction. He went to rehab twice in the months before his accidental overdose. We would never consider his death from an overdose a bitter pill to swallow, because his triumphs over addiction during his lifetime were not the reason we loved and supported him. But in all honesty, we were not surprised when he ultimately OD’d. We were sad, but for the family of an addict who struggled his whole life to keep the addiction in check, it wasn’t a surprise.
In an interview, Matthew Perry stated “When I die, people will be shocked, but not surprised.” I think he was making a similar reference to what you said above.
Sorry about your brother. My brother died homeless, a very hard core alcoholic who died of a direct result of his addiction. We went through all kinds of heartache through the years because of it. When it finally happened, we at least found out where he was (in Hawaii) and a couple of us were able to get there to see him before he died.
We were sad, and not the least bit surprised. Unlike many families, we never were able to convince him to even attempt rehab or any other path.
My brother died of cancer that was triggered by his addictions to smoking, alcohol and drugs. He never hit bottom. My sister found his booze stash in my dad’s backyard after B died. He was staying with Dad at the end. We tried to get him help many times, but his demons overrode everything, including his son and daughter.
Eventually I had to drop my end of the rope with him, and focus on supporting the emotional health of his kids.
MP inspired many with his honesty and struggle, and put his money and fame towards helping others and reducing stigma. That is still a victory.
