Matthew Perry, the actor best known for playing the lovably sarcastic Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends, is sober after years of struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. He was addicted to alcohol and prescription pills, particularly Vicodin, an opioid painkiller. At one point, he was hospitalized for pancreatitis, a complication of his drug and alcohol abuse. His Friends costars were concerned and tried to convince him to get help, but he was in denial. Eventually, though, Perry had a moment of clarity and realized for himself that he had a problem and needed to stop drinking and using drugs.

Perry says getting sober has helped him achieve true happiness in his life. After getting sober, Perry dedicated himself to helping others struggling to overcome addiction. He converted his former home in Malibu into a men’s sober living facility known as the Perry House. He’s also been advocating for legal reform, as he believes non-violent drug users should receive treatment, rather than incarceration, when they commit crimes. He uses his past struggles to help others dealing with similar issues, and that’s certainly a noble pursuit.

Photo source: Matthew Perry at Smarter Justice by Policy Exchange