The beloved Friends star is also sharing his truth in his upcoming memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.
And being candid and transparent, Matthew said, was imperative. "Secrets kill you. Secrets kill people like me."
"At the time, I should have been the toast of the town," he said. "I was in a dark room meeting nothing but drug dealers and completely alone."
Matthew said he was taking "55 Vicodin," as well as Methodone, Xanax, and a quart of vodka daily. "I was in a coma and escaped death narrowly."
He also shared with Diane about the time his Friends costar, Jennifer Aniston — whom he calls "Jenny" — confronted him about his substance abuse.
Jennifer had said to Matthew, "We know you're drinking."
"Imagine how scary a moment that was," Matthew said, getting emotional.
"She was the one that reached out the most," he said. "I'm really grateful to her for that."
As for his book, Matthew said, "It was important to me to do something that would help people."
And your book, this interview, and your story will help so many others, Matthew. Thank you for sharing.
You can watch Matthew's interview with Diane on ABC on Oct. 28.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, you can call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and find more resources here.
