Hayden Panettiere has taken it upon herself to seek professional help for postpartum depression.

The 26-year-old "Nashville" actress recently checked into a treatment center after the birth of her daughter Kaya in December 2014, according to E! News. This is her first child with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.

"Hayden Panettiere is voluntarily seeking professional help at a treatment center as she is currently battling postpartum depression," her representative said. "She asks that the media respect her privacy during this time."

During Panettiere's appearance on "Live! With Kelly and Michael" last month, the actress was not shy about discussing her mental struggles. She talked about how common the issue is for new mothers.

"It's something a lot of women experience. When [you are 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," Panettiere said. "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."

The actress also recognized the stigma around postpartum depression, saying, "There's a lot of misunderstanding." While some people think this type of depression is manifested by the mother's own mind, Panettiere said it's "completely uncontrollable. It's really painful and it's really scary and women need a lot of support."

Despite how down in the dumps she's been feeling, Panettiere posted a tweet on Saturday, reassuring her fans that her health is beginning to improve.

Panettiere and Klitschko announced their engagement in October 2013. They have dated for about four years, although they broke up briefly in 2011 and later rekindled their romance.

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