“I could relate to a lot of these stories like alcoholism and postpartum depression. They hit close to home,” she told the magazine. In addition to her struggles with alcohol abuse, she said she would also take opioids. “My saving grace is that I couldn’t be messy while I was on set and working,” she said. “But things kept spiraling out of control [off set]. And as I got older, drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn’t live without.” At one point, she landed in the hospital and was told by doctors that her liver was “going to give out.” “I was in a cycle of self-destruction,” she told People. After eight months in rehab and various other trauma and inpatient treatments, Panettiere, who shares a 7-year-old daughter with her ex, Ukrainian ex-pro boxer Wladimir Klitschko, is calm and optimistic about the future. “I put a lot of work into myself and had to be willing to be incredibly honest,” she said. She is soon to reprise her role in a new “Scream” movie. Months ago, Panettiere also started a relief fund for those fighting to defend Ukraine. Klitschko’s brother, Vitali Klitschko, is the mayor of Kyiv.
