Kyle Richards is urging her sister Kim Richards, who has struggled with substance abuse issues in the past, to return to treatment, multiple sources tell Us Weekly exclusively.
“Kyle became aware that Kim was struggling in recent weeks and got extremely concerned based on what she was hearing,” one insider explains, noting that Kim, 54, isn’t “doing well” right now. “Kyle isn’t a doctor and can’t make that determination, which is why she is trying to get Kim into treatment.”
According to the source, the sisters have been “living their own lives for some time now,” but are on good terms with each other.
“It’s going to be an ongoing conversation, but the good news is that Kim is being extremely receptive to Kyle, recognizing she is coming from a place of love,” the insider tells Us. “Kyle isn’t giving up and is trying again to get Kim to agree. It’s more for mental health than sobriety issues.”
Kim has not yet checked into treatment, according to sources. She has also been noticeably absent on social media in recent weeks.
Kim spoke candidly about her battle with alcoholism after season 2 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills aired in 2012. After completing a stint in rehab, the former child actress relapsed in 2015. She was subsequently arrested for public intoxication that April after a confrontation with police at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Later that year, Kim was accused of stealing nearly $600 worth of items from Target.
The reality TV personality, who was ordered to attend AA meetings and complete 450 hours of community service, was officially off probation in September 2018.
Kim and Kyle’s relationship, which was documented on the first five seasons of RHOBH, has been affected by Kim’s struggles in the past. The two women went head-to-head during the season 1 finale after the former American Woman producer outed her sister as an alcoholic.
More recently, Kyle credited the Bravo series for saving Kim’s life during an interview on SiriusXM’s The Jenny McCarthy Show in June.
“If anything, being on the show made her accountable and she says that as well,” Kyle explained at the time. “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!”
