In This Moment guitarist Chris Howorth has revealed how his battle to control the pain of undiagnosed arthritis led to a six-year addiction to opiates.
Doctors recently told him he was suffering from the disorder in his neck and shoulders. This week he reported he’d been undergoing treatment for four weeks and he’d carry on working with Maria Brink’s band.
But he’d been fighting increasing pain for eight years, which resulted in an addiction that he only managed to defeat in 2014.
Howorth tells KBAT 99.9: “I went through a period on tour where I started to dabble with opiates just because of the pain in my neck.
“I’d take one to help me with the pain after the show – and as everyone knows, one turns into two.
“I started taking them before the show because it would make me have a better show. That went on for about three years. I think I did a lot of over-reaching and overdoing it. I was masking what was going on.”
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Despite resolving his addiction two years ago, Howorth only sought medical attention after his condition forced In This Moment to cancel a European tour in April.
The guitarist says: “I had to go, ‘Oh my God, I can’t even turn my head any direction at all. What am I going to do?’ I went to specialists and stuff and I’ve been going through a lot of therapy and medications.”
He reports that he doesn’t have much movement “compared to a normal person,” but adds: “Compared to where I was, it’s actually pretty good.
“I’m in a good spot right now, but I’m never going to be able to do what I did before, whipping the dreads and cranking my neck. I have to relearn how to perform on stage.”
In This Moment launch a North American tour this weekend.
In This Moment North American tour 2016
Jun 18: Des Moines 7 Flags Event Center, IA
Jun 19: Wichita The Cotillion, KS
Jun 21: Lubbock Lonestar Pavilion, TX
Jun 22: Midland La Hacienda Event Center, TX
Jun 24: Abilene Abilene Civic Center, TX
Jun 25: El Paso Speaking Rock Entertainment Center, TX
Jun 27: Corpus Christi Concrete Street Amphitheater, TX
Jun 29: Birmingham Iron City, AL
Jun 30: Orlando Hard Rock Live, FL
Jul 02: St Petersburg Jannus Live, FL
Jul 03: Myrtle Beach House of Blues, SC
Jul 05: Atlanta The Masquerade, GA
Jul 06: Raleigh The Ritz, NC
Jul 08: Norfolk The NorVA, VA
Jul 09: Inwood Shiley Acres, WV
Jul 10: Asheville The Orange Peel, NC
Jul 12: Peoria Limelight Event Complex, IL
