Matthew Perry's Memoir Sales Have Doubled in the Months Since His Death (Exclusive)

The actor's book, 'Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,' has sold 2.5 million copies to date

Matthew Perry wrote his memoir to give people an open window into his life, sharing candid details about everything from his acting career to his high-profile relationships to his struggles with drugs and alcohol. And now, months after his untimely death at 54, his book is reaching more readers than ever.

"I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side of everything again," he told PEOPLE exclusively when the book came out. "I was pretty certain that it would help people."

Ahead of the release of Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing in 2022, Perry spoke to PEOPLE about his decades-long substance abuse and revealed that he almost died at 49 due to his worsening drug addiction. He said he spent two weeks in a coma fighting for his life, followed by a five-month hospital stay and a year using a colostomy bag, after his colon burst from opioid overuse.

Related: The Biggest Revelations from Matthew Perry's Memoir, 'Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing'

Before his untimely death on Oct. 28, the beloved Friends star had been planning to establish a foundation to support those suffering from the same disease. Perry's loved ones made that dream a reality to honor his memory.

The Matthew Perry Foundation launched on Nov. 3, with the stated goal of "identifying addiction as a disease, addressing the complex of stigmas that prevents individuals from seeking and accessing care and fiercely advocating for better and more equitable treatment."

"The Matthew Perry Foundation is the realization of Matthew’s enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction," said a statement shared with PEOPLE. "The Foundation is guided by Matthew's words and experiences and inspired by his passion for making a difference in as many lives as possible."

In a 2013 PEOPLE cover story, Perry opened up about his abuse of alcohol and Vicodin, which a doctor first prescribed after a 1997 jet ski accident. “I had a big problem with alcohol and pills and I couldn’t stop,” he said, at the time. “Eventually things got so bad that I couldn’t hide it, and then everybody knew.”

Related: Matthew Perry Says 'Friends' Cast Rallied Around Him at Height of His Addiction: 'They Were Patient'

Two years later, in 2015, Perry was recognized for his advocacy by the treatment center Phoenix House, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “You can’t have a drug problem for 30 years and then expect to have it be solved in 28 days."

Since Perry’s death, sales of Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing have doubled. To date, it has sold more than 2.5 million copies and counting and can be found wherever books are sold.

For more information or to donate, visit matthewperryfoundation.org.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

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Read the original article on People.