Kyle Richards Says Quitting Alcohol Is ‘A Win-Win’ as She Thanks Fans for ‘Supportive Comments’
The ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ star recently celebrated one whole year of being “alcohol free”
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Kyle Richards says quitting alcohol has helped with her anxiety
Kyle Richards is thanking people for their “kind and supportive comments” since she celebrated one year of being “alcohol free.”
On Monday, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 54, opened up about her fans’ response to the news and shared some of the benefits she’s discovered in sobriety.
“Sitting outside reading all your DM’s regarding my last post,” Richards wrote on her Instagram Story alongside a photo of herself sitting outside in the sun wearing a black sports bra.
“It seems many of you have similar stories and many of you want to go that route but are not quite sure how to. We are so programmed to think that we have to drink when we go out to socialize. Many of us are just on autopilot. And so many of us are accustomed to not being fully present these days anyway.”
Richards then shared some words of encouragement to those among her 4.2 million followers who are thinking of quitting but haven’t quite taken the leap.
Kyle Richards/Instagram
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star opened up about her fans’ reactions on her Instagram Story
Related: Kyle Richards Celebrates 1 Year of Being 'Alcohol Free': 'I Have Never Felt Better'
“There are plenty of things you can order that taste better than alcohol, are better for our bodies and won’t leave you feeling like sh*t & remorseful the next day,” she wrote. “Plus being fully present and clear about everything you say and do feels really good.”
She also noted how being sober has helped with her mental health. “As someone that has always struggled with anxiety, I was very surprised to find myself surprisingly calm in situations which would normally trigger my anxiety. Safe to say it’s a win-win for me 🙏,” she added.
Richards revealed Saturday that she is one year sober in a candid Instagram post and told her followers she has “never felt better.”
“Today marks one year alcohol free for me 😊,” she wrote alongside a selfie. “A number of things made me come to the conclusion that I didn’t want to drink. First and foremost, I didn’t feel it had a place where I personally wanted to be.”
Then noting that she made the decision to quit alcohol as “I knew it was no longer serving me physically, mentally or spiritually,” Richards said the process “was much easier than I thought it would be.”
Jesse Grant/Getty Images
Richards recently separated from her husband of 27 years, Mauricio Umansky
Related: Kyle Richards Reveals She's Gone Almost 7 Months Not Drinking amid Dramatic Body Transformation
“I never put a time frame on when I would drink again or say IF I ever would. All I know is I have never felt better physically or been more clear mentally,” the reality star continued. “I’ve learned that I still over share but at least I don’t have the ‘hanxiety’ thinking about it 😆 I’ve learned I still do stupid things sometimes and beat myself up about it.”
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Richards said that her commitment to being sober was “met with resistance by some,” though her peers were “mainly supportive even if they didn’t quite understand since I don’t have a ‘problem’ with alcohol.”
“Although trust me plenty of times it didn’t feel like that 😆,” she continued, then adding that she felt “depressed the next day” whenever she drank alcohol, “no matter how fun the night before was.”
“And honestly, life is going to throw us some difficult days. I certainly don’t need to be adding any extra ones to that list,” she added.
Richards concluded, “A lot of you send me DM’s asking about my journey without alcohol, so I decided to share here today on this 365th day 🙏 Cheers ❤️.”
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Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky arrive to the 2019 E! People’s Choice Awards
Related: Mauricio Umansky Shows Off Weight Loss amid Separation – and Kyle Richards Makes Ozempic Joke
Earlier this month, PEOPLE confirmed that Richards and her husband Mauricio Umansky were separating after 27 years of marriage.
A source close to the pair told PEOPLE, “Kyle and Mauricio have been separated for a while now but are still living under the same roof. They remain amicable as they figure out what’s next for them and their family.”
They share three daughters: Alexia, 27, Sophia, 23 and Portia, 15, while Richards is also mom to daughter Farrah Brittany, 34, from her first marriage to Guraish Aldjufrie.
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