Richie Sambora was sober both times he went to rehab.
Richie Sambora has been to rehab twice
The former Bon Jovi guitarist checked into treatment in 2007 and 2011 amid his addictions to alcohol and pain medication but he insisted he didn’t have to go through any withdrawal and “actually enjoyed” the in-patient sessions.
He told the new issue of Guitar World magazine: “I’ve been in rehab twice, and I went sober both times. I learned a lot, and listen, I’m not bulls******* you — you can ask — I became like a counsellor to people.
“I was going, ‘Hold on a minute. Let’s go see where the demons are.’”
Richie was committed to doing “the work” in rehab.
He added: “The psychiatrists and everybody were wonderful. I enjoy therapy.”
The 65-year-old musician – who has 26-year-old daughter Ava with ex-wife Heather Locklear – wanted to discuss his positive experiences after being frustrated with his depiction in Hulu docuseries ‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’.
Referring to his abrupt 2013 departure from the band, he said: “One of the things… that was reflected in the documentary [was] that people thought I was, what, a drunkard? Like I didn’t show up one day because I was high? That doesn’t make any sense to anybody.”
The ‘I Pray’ rocker writes new music “every day” and has enjoyed reinventing himself away from the band.
He said: “People think I stopped working since I left Bon Jovi, but I went right back to work on solo records and the music I did with [ex-girlfriend Orianthi].
“I look at myself as a new artist. Now, other people might not — they relate to me for what I’ve done, and I love what I did with Bon Jovi.
“I’m not ever saying anything bad about that because we did a bunch of damage in this world, and we had a great time. But right now, it’s a new game.”
