- Hayden Panettiere appeared on the latest episode of "Red Table Talk" Wednesday.
- Panettiere experienced postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, Kaya.
Hayden Panettiere said her former partner, Wladimir Klitschko, blamed her for experiencing postpartum depression after giving birth to their daughter, Kaya.
Panettiere made the remarks during the latest "Red Table Talk" episode on Wednesday. The actress revealed that she experienced postpartum depression a few weeks after giving birth to her daughter Kaya in 2014.
When asked if Klitschko "recognized" it, Panettiere said he didn't fully understand how it affected her.
"I respect him for being such a driven human being. He's very positive. Athletes, they're just very driven. That mentality is just pretty incredible," Panettiere said. "But he's also a man and doesn't have any sisters. So he really thought that I was doing it to myself and just that I could choose to snap out of it."
"When he signs his emails, it says 'when you control your mind, you control everything.' I look at it all the time, and I'm like, 'That's not true!" Panettiere added.
During the episode, Panettiere also discussed how her alcohol abuse played a part in her postpartum depression.
"Some people thought it was a personal choice – being depressed at all is a personal choice – and I could just snap my fingers," Panettiere continued. "I felt like it was not something that people understood."
Panettiere added that she didn't know how to talk about her postpartum depression or seek help, so she relied on a coping mechanism.
"I did what I had seen family and the people around me do whenever they were depressed or stressed out or anything, which was reach for a bottle," Panettiere said.
Postpartum depression is a "common and serious illness" that occurs after having a baby, according to the CDC . The health agency based its findings on research from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System which found that around 1 in 8 women with a recent live birth experience postpartum depression symptoms.
According to the CDC, symptoms include crying more than usual, feeling distant from your baby, withdrawing from loved ones, and doubting your ability to care for your baby.
Insider previously reported that postpartum depression can last months or years, but most people recover within six months. First-time mothers, young mothers, and mothers of twins have a higher risk of postpartum depression, but it can also affect both biological and adoptive parents.
During the episode, Panettiere also touched on her and Klitschko's current custody agreement. Kaya, now 7, began living with Klitschko in Ukraine in 2018 while Panettiere underwent treatment for alcohol abuse.
Panettiere said she visits her daughter as often as possible, but the distance has affected Kaya.
"I also remember her dad calling me, and he said, 'Kaya's going around and asking other women if she can call them mommy," Panettiere said. "And my breath hitched, and my heart stopped. And he was laughing — he thought this was funny."
She added: "That's a trauma reaction. That's a cry for help."