Kim Richards is sent to psychiatric hold and gets into an argument with Kyle over sobriety

Kim Richards has been shut out by her entire family… TMZ has learned – but it's a case of tough love, because we're told she went off the rails and was sent to the psychiatric ward earlier this month, but that's not yet the drama is over.

Law enforcement sources told TMZ that they showed up at a home Kyle owns in the LA area on Wednesday evening after a neighbor called her hoping to remove Kim from the house. Apparently the neighbors were concerned about Kim's past behavior.

We're told Kyle let Kim live in the house, but she moved out a while ago…but on Wednesday, Kim showed up again. Law enforcement say Kyle told them she didn't want Kim in the house because the family cut off all contact in hopes it would shake Kim and sober her up.

We're told the police told Kyle it was a civil matter and she needed to file an eviction notice. Kim stays in the house.

Things get worse. Law enforcement told TMZ that Kim was at a Hilton hotel in the Los Angeles area in early September and was unintelligible. Kyle was there, the police were called and when they arrived they asked Kim to leave but she refused. Law enforcement tells TMZ that Kim was taken to Psychiatric Hospital 5150 and taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Law enforcement sources said when they showed up Wednesday night, Kyle told them that Kim was in big trouble because of her sobriety … and the family was fearful for her survival.

If you don't know… Kim and Kyle have a complicated relationship – it first came to public attention in the season 1 finale of “RHOBH” when the two got into a heated argument over Kim's drinking problems.

Last year, Kim admitted she hadn't spoken to Kyle in months… even after that their separation from her long-time husband Mauricio Umansky attracted national attention.