“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Kyle Richards has been open about her decision to give up alcohol, both on the show and in various interviews. Now, ahead of the “Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th” premiere, the RHOBH fan-favorite is celebrating four years since her last drink.
Richards took to Instagram on July 20 to not only highlight the milestone, but to also reflect on her decision to stop drinking. She began, “This past week marked 4 years since I gave up alcohol. I’ve talked about my reasons why I made that decision.”
Regarding her reasons, the RHOBH star said, “I wanted to look and feel better during a time where I didn’t feel my best both physically or mentally & didn’t feel like I could afford any bad days.”
She added, “People loved when I drank. I was fun! That meant people didn’t love when I stopped. But I didn’t let that deter me. I knew I could still be ‘fun’ without alcohol and feel a lot happier the next day.”
Kyle Richards Says Something Has Shifted Since She Quit Drinking
GettyThe “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star continued her post by addressing those who weren’t happy that she decided to quit drinking. To her, those people needed to look within to find their issue with her choice.
According to her, “I quickly learned that the people who had an issue with my choice were more concerned about how it made them feel about themselves.” After that, she discussed how her life has changed over the last four years, specifically noting what happened that she didn’t expect.
She shared, “What I wasn’t expecting was a calmer Kyle in spite of going through very challenging times. Something shifts in you even if you aren’t a big drinker. Things that would normally make me feel anxious, I now faced with an unfamiliar calmness. Looking healthier was just a bonus.”
In summing up her experience, Richards stated, “For me, it’s been all upside.” After that, she encouraged others who had been considering the same not to be discouraged by naysayers.
She went on, “I have plenty of friends who have no desire to give up alcohol. I totally respect that and they respect me. For me, I focused on how good I felt, and that was more important to me than having fun for a few hours at a party followed by ‘alcohol doom’ the next day.”
The ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Star Previously Discussed Giving Up Drinking
Richards opened up in a 2024 interview with WWD about why she decided to give up alcohol, noting that it wasn’t due to alcoholism. She told the outlet, “I didn’t have a problem with alcohol, per se—I always say that, but, of course, there were many times that I was like, ‘Oh, that was a problem’—but it really was a choice for health and beauty.”
According to the RHOBH star at the time, “I wanted to look and feel my best.” However, she also spoke about her mental health, noting that she’s experienced “anxiety” from alcohol the next day after drinking. She added, “The next day, I was always feeling down. But it really made a difference in how my skin looked and how my body looked.”
