Hayden Panettiere Is An Inspiring Voice For Every Woman Suffering From Postnatal Depression
The 26-year-old celebrity mum is being professionally treated for postnatal depression. [Photo: Twitter/Hayden Panettiere]
Hayden Panettiere is fast becoming the poster girl for postnatal depression – and that’s a brilliant thing. Last month, the actress admitted to the world that’s she, like her character in “Nashville”, is suffering from the pregnancy and birth related condition, helping raise awareness of it for millions of other parents worldwide.
Postnatal depression is thought to affect around one in 10 mums in the first few months after childbirth. But despite it being fairly common, a great many women still prefer to keep quiet about it.
Not Panettiere. The actress, who gave birth to her daughter Kaya in December 2014, appeared on “Live! with Kelly and Michael” to talk through her experience with the illness.
With the aim of letting women know that they’re not alone in their suffering and it is something that does “heal”, she acknowledged that it’s a spectrum and every mum is affected differently.
“I can very much relate. It’s something a lot of women experience. 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 realise 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.”
“Feeling like I’m #finally coming back in to my own body,” the actress tweeted earlier this week. [Photo: Twitter/Hayden Panettiere]
But she’s not just talking about the illness. The star’s seeking help for her battle with the condition in an attempt to beat it. Panettiere’s voluntarily entered an impatient facility to receive treatment and counseling, People magazine reveals.
Panettiere’s not the only celebrity to smash stigmas associated with postnatal depression. Gwyneth Paltrow took to her lifestyle site GOOP to recount her experience with the condition after the birth of her son.
“When my son, Moses, came into the world in 2006, I expected to have another period of euphoria following his birth,” the actress wrote. “Instead I was confronted with one of the darkest and most painfully debilitating chapters of my life.”
Panettiere’s character in “Nashville” is also struggling with postnatal depression - perhaps another attempt by the actress to make raise awareness of the condition. [Photo: Getty]
Bryce Dallas-Howard is another star who can relate to Panettiere’s struggles, and suggested in the past that women who go through it may chose silence because of their “inability to share authentically what [they’re] going through.”
And singer Alanis Morissette has some advice for women going through postnatal depression. “If I could share anything with anyone who’s going through it, it would be to encourage them to seek help and reach out a little earlier than I did,” she told ABC News in 2012.
Here in the UK, there are numerous charities and healthcare organisations that offer help and support for women – and men – going through PND. Mind is one charity you can reach out to or you can get in touch with Tommy’s.
Do you wish more women shared their postnatal depression stories? Tweet us at @YahooStyleUK.
