RHOBH 's Erika Girardi Mixed 'Medication with Alcohol' to 'Numb' Herself from Real-Life Drama
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Amy Sussman/Getty Erika Girardi
Erika Girardi is opening up about the unhealthy way she coped with her real-life drama.
During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 50, addressed the hardships that she faced throughout the 12th season, which premiered on Bravo Wednesday night.
Though Erika admitted to using various substances to "numb" the pain, she denied she had a substance abuse problem, as suggested in the reality show's trailer.
"I think it's being blown up to more than it is," she explained. "I definitely mixed medication with alcohol, and I've been very upfront and honest about that. I also wanted to have a good time and sort of numb that feeling of pressure and that judgmental heavy stuff that was coming down."
"A problem? No, certainly not," she continued. "But let's be honest: some of these ladies, their company's rather boring. So you need to spice it up a bit."
"And that's exactly what I did. And I think that they should be grateful that I came in here, personality plus," Erika added.
Nicole Weingart/Bravo
In addition to her coping mechanisms, the season 12 trailer also sees Erika getting into conflicts with some of her co-stars, including Garcelle Beauvais.
Most recently, the pair feuded when the "Pretty Mess" singer shared a clip on her Instagram Story last month showing her tossing Garcelle's new memoir, Love Me as I Am, in the garbage can.
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During her chat with ET, Erika discussed her ongoing drama with Garcelle, saying, "I think that Garcelle wants something from me that she's not going to get."
"She has this perspective about the way I should be behaving ... and what I should be doing in regards to my legal situation," she continued. "And that's just not — I can't do what others want me to do. I have to do what is right for me."
RELATED VIDEO: Embezzlement Suit Against Erika Girardi Dismissed in Illinois, Will Be Refiled in California
Additionally, Erika spoke to ET about her estranged husband, Tom Girardi, who was diagnosed with late-onset Alzheimer's and dementia and is now under a conservatorship managed by his younger brother.
Erika filed for divorce from Tom, 82, after nearly two decades of marriage in November 2020, amid rising racketeering and embezzlement allegations against both her ex and his company.
Allegations included both a criminal and civil suit, the latter of which named Erika as well. Tom was accused of embezzling money from, among others, a settlement intended for the loved ones of victims of a 2018 plane crash. Erika maintains that she was unaware of Tom's criminal actions, which resulted in him being disbarred by the California Federal Court.
"I know the truth, I know what's coming, I know what's happening," Erika told the outlet. "More sophisticated ears are willing to step back and take a look at the total picture and are not willing to jump on sensationalized headlines."
She also admitted that her divorce "is kind of on the very bottom of my list of important things" as she navigates the legal challenges surrounding her alleged role in the embezzlement scandal.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
