Richie has had issues with alcohol since probably the NJ era. Sometimes more, sometimes less. But he had never looked as bad as during the 2006 tour. Right before the Japanese leg in January he had broken his shoulder and took a lot of painkillers to make it through the shows. He later on admitted that he couldn't get off the combination of booze and painkillers as the tour went on and became addicted to that.

In 2012, this was even reflected in You Can Only Get So High:
Down seven tylenols for breakfast
Chased it down with last night"s cloudy memory
Empty bottle preach the gospel
Another shot ain't coming close to saving me
Close to saving me