Rock legend Eric Clapton sings the blues while facing the horrific consequences of years of excess and dangerous addictions. In the past, the singer admits his booze and drug addictions were once so out of control he was spending $16,000 (equating to around $53k today) a week on heroin and downing a bottle of brandy every day before lunch. The ‘Cocaine’ hitmaker reveals that during the 70s, his heroin addiction lasted for three years. He was so consumed by addiction that Eric says it kept him mostly confined to his home and limited his live performances.Â
Eric Clapton claims that once he kicked his insane addiction to heroin, he moved straight into an uncontrollable battle with alcohol. Trading one crutch for another, the blues guitarist reveals performing one concert lying down on stage because he was too drunk to stand.
“By rights, I should have kicked the bucket a long time ago,” the singer stated in a past interview.
Despite entering rehab, Eric Clapton struggled with addiction for 20 years before finally becoming sober in 1987. Sadly, the two-decade-long struggle has ravaged his body and taken a severe toll on his health.
Eric Clapton’s Inner Circle Fears A Dangerous Setback
The effects have left the singer facing serious consequences mentally and physically. According to Radar Online, the now 80 music legend has been reportedly diagnosed with an incurable nerve disease known as peripheral neuropathy.
The disease is said to have taken over Eric Clapton’s body. It’s left him forced to rely on the use of a wheelchair for many hours of the day. While undergoing horrific pain. The condition has been linked to multiple causes, including diabetes and alcohol abuse.
In Clapton’s case, many believe his decades of heavy drinking are to blame. Peripheral neuropathy makes every movement feel like electric shocks coursing through the body. It’s been interfering with Clapton’s ability to even hold a guitar, his life’s greatest passion.
At times, the Layla rocker still manages to power through performances mostly on his feet. But once the spotlight fades, he’s quickly guided to a wheelchair. Offstage, the intense pain makes it nearly impossible for him to stand for long. Turning even simple movement into a struggle.
Sources close to Eric Clapton state, “Like always, Eric is putting a brave face on his pain and bottling up his emotions. He is in agony and feels heartbroken that he has to be wheeled around by assistants in a wheelchair. But, he’s doing his best.”
There is also growing concern among those close to Clapton. They fear that the medications to manage his chronic pain could pose a dangerous temptation. Eric Clapton has been sober for many years. He has worked hard to stay on a healthier path, but the possibility of relapse remains a quiet worry. At this point, it seems like either way, sadly, he is doomed to spend his final days in agony.
