Matthew Perry’s brief stint on “Growing Pains” can be considered as part of his overarching mission to advocate for sobriety. In his memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” Matthew Perry was incredibly forthcoming about the darkest depths of his decades-long addictions to drugs and alcohol, as well as his tireless commitment to helping others with the same challenges. “The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking. Can you help me?’ I can say, ‘Yes,’ and follow up and do it,” he told “Q with Tom Power.” He helped countless substance users by opening the rehabilitation center Perry House and lobbying Congress to fund drug courts, an alternative route to incarceration that provides incentive and support for recovery.
In his performance as Sandy, who faces the dangerous consequences of alcohol use, Matthew Perry likely drew on his own experiences. Even if it is portrayed in a cheesy sitcom, Sandy’s storyline is exactly the type of lesson Matthew Perry dedicated his life to imparting: addictions can rob you of everything — even your life — but a second chance for recovery is always there for you.