The "Nashville" star's character suffered from postpartum depression, which is something Hayden Panettiere can closely relate to. She told USA Today in 2015 that she wished more women knew about the condition. "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. Some women do. 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."
At 33 years old, Panettiere also opened up about how postpartum depression played a role in her substance abuse. After realizing she hadn't formed an immediate emotional connection to her child, Panettiere blamed herself and tried to self-medicate instead of seeking professional help. "I just thought there was something seriously wrong with me, so I thought, you know, Fireball will fix this — duh. And it didn't. It does for a moment, but then it makes everything worse," she shared in a March 2023 interview with "E! News."
