Matthew Perry Feels Numb.
June 13, 2008 by Liz Lewis
Filed under Depression, Extreme, Health, Mental Health, Misc., Oddities, Video
“I find myself regarding existence as though from beyond the tomb, from another world; all is strange to me; I am, as it were, outside my own body and individuality; I am depersonalized, detached, cut adrift. Is this madness?”
(Henri Frédéric Amiel, Swiss Philosopher, July 8, 1880)
It hit a few film festivals, pretty much bypassed the mainstream theaters, and is now being released on DVD, but if you get a chance, check out Matthew Perry’s latest movie, Numb.
It’s a semi-autobiographical dark comedy about mental health and romance by writer-director Harris Goldberg, a Hollywood screenwriter suffering from acute Depersonalisation Disorder (DPD).
DPD is a psychological condition that causes sufferers to feel detached from reality which turns them into an outside observer of their own mental processes and body functions. In other words, they feel numb.
Here’s a reading list for anyone who wants to know more about depersonalisaiton disorder (DPD).
I absolutely adore anything Matthew Perry does and have no doubt this would be fantastic. Hadn’t heard of it yet, so thanks for the tip.
I just saw this last week. Blockbuster releases a ton of movies that go to DVD and bybass theatres, and they are really good movies. This movie was good, Perry did a good job and the topic was something I was not aware of. Awesome movie, funny, serious, emotional, sad. The lead actress was hot too. lol.
liberty, chandler was always my favorite friend.
israel, thanks for the review of the movie…haven’t had a chance to see it yet but is on the list…like you, hadn’t heard much about this disease until i ran across a press release about the movie…
fyi – did you know that Pink Floyd’s The Wall was about someone with DPD ???
I did like Matthew Perry in this film but it was woefully inaccurate. It listed divalproex as an antipsychotic and gave the wrong side effects (those of antipsychotics).
The character also clearly has alot of other psychological issues (relationships, low self esteem, anxiety and maybe depression) of which depersonalisation is only one small component and a very general symptom, and it is a shame that the film couldn’t highlight or focus on these other clearly major problems. It was a really simplistic non-solution and a lost opportunity to say something meaningful.