Hayden Panettiere Calls Postpartum Depression ‘Painful’ And ‘Scary’
Actress Hayden Panettiere has opened up about her real-life battle with postpartum depression.
Hayden Panettiere did not hold back when discussing her postpartum depression experience: http://t.co/3CaEKHdOTv pic.twitter.com/pv2yYyx1vC
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) September 29, 2015
During her appearance on Live! with Kelly and Michael Monday, the Nashville star did not hesitate to discuss her past struggle with it after she gave birth to her daughter, Kaya, last year.
“When [you’re told] about postpartum depression you think it’s, ‘I feel negative feelings towards my child, I want to injure or hurt my child.’ I’ve never, ever had those feelings… But you don’t realize how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on. It’s something that needs to be talked about. Women need to know that they’re not alone, and that it does heal.”
Panettiere further explained that there is a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to postpartum depression overall, claiming that quite a few people believe “that it’s not real,” “that it’s not true,” or even that “it’s something that’s made up in their minds.”
“They brush it off. It’s something that’s completely uncontrollable. It’s really painful and it’s really scary and women need a lot of support.”
The 26-year-old actress also opened up briefly about her battle with postpartum depression earlier this month for Us Weekly’s “25 Things You Don’t Know About Me” series. The former Heroes star admitted that she “suffered a bit of postpartum depression” during that interview and reassured other women that they were “not alone or crazy.”
According to Postpartum Progress, between 11 and 20 percent of women that give birth each year experience symptoms related to postpartum depression. The report further claims that more women will suffer from it and related illnesses in a year than the combined number of new cases of leukemia, tuberculosis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus, Alzheimer’s disease, and epilepsy.
Hayden Panettiere also has a chance to bring postpartum depression to the small-screen in the current season of Nashville.
After giving birth to her child, singer Juliette Barnes (played by Hayden) apparently struggles with the early stages of this particular type of clinical depression. As of the series’ first episode from its fourth season, she still has not come to grips with the fact that she is suffering from it.
The Juliette Barnes postpartum depression storyline is hitting close to home & is difficult to watch, even 2.5yrs on… #Nashville
— Bethany W. (@KrizleyWheatnik) September 19, 2015
I love that Nashville is shining a light on postpartum depression
— Lacey Mae (@LaceyCourtois) September 24, 2015
Does nobody understand that postpartum depression can go on for months or even years. Juliette still needs help!! #Nashville
— Christy Spratlin (@ChristySpratlin) September 24, 2015
In real life, Hayden Panettiere is enjoying her experience as a first-time mother to her 9-month-old daughter, Kaya Evdokia Klitschko.
Hayden first met heavyweight boxer Vladimir Klitschko, her longtime fiance and the father of her child, in 2009. Glamour reported that the two met during the book launch party for a mutual friend.
In October 2013, Hayden confirmed that she and Vladimir took their relationship to the next level by getting engaged. In December 2014, she gave birth to the couple’s first child. In the January 12 issue of People magazine, Hayden Panettiere joked that Kaya was a “great” child “as long as her bottomless pit of a stomach is fed.”
[Image Credit: Frazer Harrison, Rick Diamond & Andreas Rentz/Getty Images]
