‘Real Housewives’ star Kyle Richards opens up about anxiety

Kyle Richards has it all.

She’s a household name after 12 seasons on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” Add to the list: a revived movie career with the “Halloween” films, married 25 years to real estate mogul Mauricio Umansky, mom to four thriving daughters.

But the 53-year-old also has her health challenges — and she’s real about that too. “I’ve had times of debilitating anxiety,” she says over Zoom from Beverly Hills. “I’ve had times of panic attacks, and I’ve had to learn to work through it.”

“I don’t think people have grasped the magnitude,” Richards adds.

“The key is to talk about anxiety. That’s what makes me feel better. It’s part of my therapy,” she says. “I laugh and say that when I talk about my anxiety I’m being selfish, because talking about it makes it better.”

She had no qualms about returning to her role as Lindsay in “Halloween Ends,” opening Oct. 14. The film revisits Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) four years after the last encounter with masked killer Michael Myers. Lindsay (Richards) is there to help Laurie confront evil that just won’t leave the building.

Even scarier, perhaps, is the current “RHOBH” reunion that airs Wednesdays on Bravo.

Richards shared some advice for living the good life:

— Deal with mental health head-on: “I do talk about my anxiety on ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.’ They don’t focus on it, but I’ve mentioned it,” Richards says. How does she address her anxiety? “I’ve done some hypnosis, plus meditation and exercise helps,” Richards explains. “When I was younger, I worked out to keep my weight down. Now I work out to keep anxiety down, but it works. There’s a huge difference of where I am mentally now.”

— Revel in your power: Richards celebrates how the “Halloween” movies empower women. “It’s about women fighting him. Women are saving their town,” she says. “As the mother of four daughters, I love that message in this new film, and I’ve applauded it in the past. These women are survivors.” By the way, she loves getting tough with the franchise’s masked menace. “I’m always really excited when I get to battle Michael Myers. All those years of pent-up anger went into a scene where I got my punches in. I got to be badass.”

— Embracing change: “I do work really hard at being healthy and looking good because that’s how my mother raised me. She always told us to look and feel our best,” she says. To take it to another level, Richards made some major life changes this summer: “I decided no carbs, no sugar, no alcohol.” She added that a revamp was necessary after she hit a plateau. “I was working out every single day, but I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted. It has made a huge difference.”

— Early to rise: “I get up early to have some alone time before the day begins. All of my closest circle of friends is up an hour before the rest of the family for that reason,” Richards says. “I exercise and meditate. I need to be outdoors and around nature, which is so quiet and beautiful at that hour of the day. I also have a home in Colorado and spend those early mornings watching the sun rise over the mountains. It’s the most beautiful and peaceful thing.”

— Back off with your kids: Her eldest daughter Farrah Aldjufrie is engaged to longtime boyfriend Alex Manos. Is Richards stressing out over wedding plans? “We don’t have a date yet,” she reveals. “I’m trying not to be the pushy mom, but the truth is I’ve asked so many times about the date that you have to stop asking. Answers will be provided.”

— Focus on teamwork at home: Richards has been married to Umansky since 1996. The key to a healthy union? “Find someone you have a lot in common with and marry that person!” she says. “My husband and I are on the same page about how we do it, where we go, what we do and how we are going to raise the kids.”

— Get a little scared: What’s scarier: a “Real Housewives” reunion or Michael Myers? “That’s a tough one,” she says with a laugh. “I’d normally say Mike Myers, but it’s been an interesting year on the show.” It’s Richards and her sister Kathy Hilton versus Lisa Rinna over a slew of issues. “It’s hard because I get along with all of the women and I don’t like confrontation. But you can’t avoid it. Even though these girls are my friends, I was put in a terrible position this season. The ladies couldn’t grasp what was at stake for me: It’s my family that’s on the line.”