Nashville is coming back next week, March 16th. There are four episodes left in this season and we haven’t had an update on this show in three months so I’m really excited to see how they wrap it up. (We don’t know yet if the show has been renewed or canceled and a final decision won’t be made until May.) Star Hayden Panettiere went to rehab last October for postpartum depression about ten months after her first child, daughter Kaya, was born. It was reportedly just a coincidence that Hayden’s character Juliette Barnes was also treated for PPD on the show, and Hayden was open about the fact that she suffered postpartum depression as well. In a new interview with Yahoo! Style, Hayden talks about her treatment for depression, about the freedom and love she felt after disclosing her illness with the public, and how it felt to go back to playing Juliette Barnes. Yahoo! reports that Hayden has been on set since January so I’m assuming that she’s going to be in these new episodes to come:
On discussing her PPD with the press
I was always so terrified that people weren’t going to accept me. I finally just went, I’m tired of living afraid. I’m tired of living in fear of what people are going to think, so, you know, I’m just going to put it all out there on the table and I’m not going to worry about the judgment.The more open I was, the more acceptance I got from people. I got so much support and so much love. I was floored. I feel much more exposed, yes, but in a great way.
On people who claim PPD is not real
It’s like you have no idea what you’re talking about. If you think for one second that a mother wants to feel that way toward her child, you’re outta your mind. It is one of the most debilitating, scary, guilty feelings that you can ever feel. That a mother would not be able to connect with their child, would not be able to get a grip, or would not know what’s going on, for anybody to say that it’s false or created by us, you must have your head examined.On having to go back to playing a character with PPD
it’s definitely interesting how much it has mirrored my life. It was strange having to throw myself back into that frame of mind. The way I do things is to pull from my own personal experience and sometimes even turn myself into what I’m portraying so that I can pull from my life and step into that person’s shoes by being able to relate.What’s that line from The Godfather? ‘Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in.’ It’s really so true. We all want to feel better about our lives. We like that drama. Those highs and lows and peaks and valleys of life, that’s what keeps us satisfied. That’s what people like to see.
Hayden is an actress whom I’ve seen grow up through the press. She’s 26 now and I’ve been watching her for at least 10 years. It’s been a pleasure to see how she’s matured and I appreciate how genuine and open she is. At the end of the article she says that she’s happy being herself and that “Confidence in doing your own thing is something that I’m learning more and more and more about, and it feels good.” You can sense that in her interviews and in the image she’s putting out. She recently posted these photos with her fiance, boxing great Wladimir Klitschko, and their daughter, on the beach. They look really happy. I hope things are better for her now.
The loves of my life ❤️ @Klitschko pic.twitter.com/MwpUKRxS4w
— hayden panettiere (@haydenpanettier) March 5, 2016
photo credit: WENN and Yahoo! Style
Damn her fiance is hot..
I’m glad she’s feeling better.
I saw him shopping in Nashvile last year and let me tell you, he is a wall of man coming at you. Just huge and yes very handsome.
I have so much respect for her being so open and available to talk about her PPD. She’s playing such an important role in helping to deconstruct the stigma surrounding post-partum conditions and mental illness.
Warms my chilly heart 😊
I agree. It must be hard to speak openly about it when there’s so much pressure to be “over the moon.”
She is one of those child actresses who seem to have really “grown up” in a positive direction. I vaguely remember stories of her underage partying with Paris Hilton back in the day. I’m so glad she seems to be in a really good place right now.
She must have really suffered, if after a year it was still so bad that she had to go get in-patient treatment. I’m glad she’s come out the other side.
She has the prettiest, most expressive face. I loved her on the TV show Nashville when I watched it the first couple of seasons. I kind of dropped off from it.
I think that’s one of the misconceptions that gets repeated: that it only lasts a year. Not true. You’re prone to it if you already suffer from depression, and your child’s birthday is not necessarily the end of it.
I’m glad she’s being so vocal about her experience with PPD. My son will be 11 months old in a few days and I have postpartum depression and anxiety. I developed it almost immediately after giving birth. It took me 3 months before I asked for help and I was already 1 month back at work. I’m so glad I asked for help. I am candid about my PPD/PPA because it’s my effort to reduce the stigma. I hope there’s less shame surrounding mental illness as we move forward.
Much love and virtual hugs to you, Launicaangelina <3
It takes incredible strength to ask for help, and your son is so lucky to have you xx
*hugs* Thank you!
PPD is no joke. My best friend and soul-sister who is normally happy and full of life was a homicidal zombie after her son was born. She tried killing me, her baby, and her husband, and had to be hospitalized for months. She’s back to normal now five years later, but it was like she was possessed.
Wow. Just wow. Childbirth was really awful for me and when I reacted to the trauma, they screened me for PPD. It’s so laughable to think about my screening, which was a joke, compared to your description of PPD. There’s just so much care women need and don’t really get when it comes to reproduction, period. If I think about it too much, ugh. Life isn’t fair to women.
Yes, luckily postpartum psychosis is actually very rare. Postpartum depression (of the non-suicidal/homicidal variety) and postpartum anxiety account for the vast majority of postpartum mood disorders. Postpartum OCD is a thing, as well.
Whoa. So glad she got help and that you all are supportive of her.
Like GreenTurtle said above, my friend’s case was pretty extreme and very uncommon. The look in her eyes when she came at me made me realize that wasn’t really HER making the decisions, you know? It was her altered brain chemistry. She barely remembers it, got help, and she’s still a great friend now.
I’ve been watching Hayden since her Disney days and its refreshing to see someone grow up normally. Much respect for her openess on a difficult topic
Celebitchy: Can you please NOT say that she went to “rehab” for treatment of depression? She may have entered a treatment facility for her illness but that’s not the same. Thank you.
Thank you. That word only serves to demonize depression even more than it already is.
Yes, thank you! It’s in-patient therapy.
Isn’t substance abuse and sex addiction rehab in-patient therapy also? Let’s just not “demonize” treatment of any sort. There are lots of different kinds of rehab, including physical. I don’t find the word to be that loaded.
Rehab includes therapy, therapy does not always include rehab. What’s more she likely had medical treatment along with therapy.
It’s not demonizing rehab to correctly characterize treatment for post-partum depression. Just asking for accuracy.
Fair enough. I’m speaking more to the comment that calling this “rehab” is somehow demonizing depression.
…ok shes had a difficult time in terms of health…he’s had a nightmare losing his title …& he doesnt even fight in the us…between all that I just think they’re both doing very well keeping their relationship going..
I’m getting major Cami Diaz vibes off that photo of her in the water.
I have a friend who had PPD and was struggling not to tell anyone what she was feeling because she was embarrassed. Her fiancé abandoned her before the baby was born and her family lived overseas. Finally she called one of our friends because she was on the verge of calling social services to come get her baby and was an emotional wreck. So we all pitched in to help even my self centered ex. It was hard to watch my normally funny and free spirited friend in such a terrible state and we felt guilty for not really probing more when we noticed something was maybe off. We just brushed it aside thinking she was just tired and a little overwhelmed like most first time mothers.
In the end she went for treatment and was able to deal with her PPD and other problems she hadn’t dealt with from the past.
She’s fine now but it was enlightening to see what agony PPD can be for someone you care about.
Having had bouts of depression in the past I do worry that once I have a child it will come raging back in the form of PPD. I am not sure if you’re more prone if you’ve been depressed before but I really hope not as I am very excited to have a baby of my own one day.
It’s certainly not a sure thing because you have a history of depression. Brooke Shields had it with her first child but not her second. Just be open and upfront with your OB. Your history may actually be an advantage because you know the symptoms already.
I have had bouts of depression, but didn’t have PPD with either of my kids. But yes, I think it helps that you will be aware of your symptoms.
I have nothing but happy blessings for Hayden. I could not even imagine how she felt. Hopefully things are alot better for her.