Kim Richards Placed on Psychiatric Hold After Drug Relapse
Kim Richards Placed on Psychiatric Hold After Drug Relapse
Kim Richards, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, has reportedly suffered a relapse after years of sobriety, according to TMZ.
The outlet revealed on Friday that earlier this month, Kim Richards experienced a mental health crisis that led to her being placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold.
The incident occurred at a Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, where Kim had been staying. According to reports, she began acting “incoherent,” prompting hotel staff to contact the authorities. When Kim allegedly refused to leave the hotel premises, police were called, and she was involuntarily taken via ambulance to a psychiatric facility under the 5150 hold, which allows a person in a mental health crisis to be checked into a psychiatric hospital for up to 72 hours.
Family Intervention and Relocation
After being released from the psychiatric facility, Kim was allowed to stay in a home owned by her younger sister, Kyle Richards, also a RHOBH star. However, tensions within the family soon arose. Earlier this week, it was reported that Kim and Kyle got into a heated dispute at Kyle’s home, leading to police intervention.
TMZ reported that Kyle, 55, had revoked Kim’s permission to stay at her property due to ongoing concerns about Kim’s behavior. When Kim attempted to return to Kyle’s house on Wednesday, family members had already informed authorities that she was no longer allowed to stay there. The decision to distance themselves from Kim was reportedly made in an effort to help her regain sobriety.
Kim’s Struggles with Addiction
Kim Richards, 59, has long been open about her battle with substance abuse, which was documented during her time as a full-time cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills from Seasons 1 through 5. Fans of the show will remember one of the most dramatic moments from the first season when Kyle called out her sister’s struggles, labeling her an “alcoholic” during a heated argument.
Since then, Kim has worked toward recovery, and there were times when it appeared she had turned her life around. Bravo even stepped in to support Kim’s journey to sobriety. In his book Diamonds and Rosé, Andy Cohen revealed that Bravo paid for Kim’s rehab stay in 2011.
“When it was clear that it was a real problem, we wanted to be responsible and we didn’t want to put her in a situation where anything could be exacerbated,” Cohen wrote. “We considered her family and wanted to work with her to get her better. Bravo paid for her rehab.”
Kyle Richards on Bravo’s Role in Kim’s Recovery
Kyle has also praised Bravo for stepping in to help her older sister. During a 2019 interview on The Jenny McCarthy Show, Kyle shared that being on RHOBH helped Kim become more accountable.
“If anything, being on the show made her accountable and she says that as well,” Kyle explained. “She says that it saved her life because you know, there’s nowhere to hide and everyone knows — now anywhere she goes, people know who she is. She can’t get away with anything! So it actually helped her!”
Despite the challenges, Kim has maintained a connection with the Real Housewives franchise. Although she hasn’t been a full-time cast member for several years, she has made several guest appearances in recent seasons, much to the delight of fans.
A Family United in Recent Times
Up until recently, it seemed as though Kim was in a better place. Just last June, Kim, Kyle, and their eldest sister, Kathy Hilton, were seen celebrating together at Kim’s daughter Whitney Davis’ wedding. The three sisters were even spotted singing karaoke and enjoying the festivities, signaling a moment of unity within the family.
The Real Housewives of Orange County returns early 2025.
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Raissa Asunbo is a Content Editor at All About The Tea. She lives in Toronto, Canada and enjoys reading, watching movies, traveling and spending time with her family.