Drugs at their fingertips, intense pressure: Why child stars fall into addiction

Hayden Panettiere, 36, who rose to fame as a child actor and later struggled publicly with addiction and mental health issues, died this week, authorities confirmed.

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office in South Carolina reported that emergency responders treated a woman at her home for cardiac arrest. The autopsy found no signs of trauma, and the cause of death remains undetermined pending further toxicology tests. According to police dispatch audio and a report, first responders arrived at the scene after receiving a call about a possible overdose. Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend, Brian Hickerson—who has admitted to prior abuse—and his brother Zack were present during the emergency response. Police stated there is no indication of wrongdoing by either man.

While the role of drugs or alcohol in her death has not been confirmed, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the investigation, according to media reports.

Panettiere first encountered drugs in Hollywood at age 16, during the height of her fame on the NBC series *Heroes*. In her memoir published earlier this year, she recalled being given a pill by someone on her team to boost her energy before a red carpet event. The medication produced a sudden surge of alertness, an effect she described as “like I’d just woken up from the most refreshing night’s sleep.” She later characterized it as “the gateway drug that ushered me toward the good of pharmaceuticals and the downfall of addiction.”

Her death has renewed attention on the pressures faced by child stars and their heightened vulnerability to substance abuse. Experts in addiction treatment note that early fame exposes young performers to adult environments and stressors during critical developmental years, increasing risk for mental health and substance use disorders.

“It can seem like child actors have everything—fame, money, access—but they’re also exposed to adult realities at a time when their brains and coping skills are still developing,” said Lucas Trautman, medical director of Oxford Treatment Center in Mississippi, who has worked with former child stars. “They often have adult-level access to substances without adult-level judgment or protection. At that age, we aren’t equipped to say no, manage risks, or fully understand the consequences.”

Panettiere openly discussed her battles with addiction and mental health in her memoir, which also detailed her postpartum depression and the death of her brother, Jansen, at age 28 from a heart condition. Jansen had struggled with heroin and cocaine use before his death. In a 2024 interview, Panettiere told *People* magazine she was committed to sobriety, calling her addiction “in the rear view mirror.” She had previously said a doctor warned her that continued drinking could kill her within five years.

William Moyers, vice president of public affairs at Hazelden Betty Ford, emphasized that addiction is a chronic illness, not a moral failing. “Living in recovery means doing the best we can, even when it’s imperfect,” he said. He also noted that Panettiere’s lifelong exposure to public scrutiny may have left little space for private healing. “Her entire life was lived under intense public attention, leaving little room for quiet reflection or recovery.”

Other child stars have shared similar experiences. Demi Lovato, who began acting on Disney Channel as a child, told a 2022 podcast that she began drinking at 13 and later misused prescription opioids after a car accident. Drew Barrymore entered rehab at 12. Actress Michelle Rodriguez, who co-hosted the World Music Awards with Panettiere, expressed concern over the number of young actors who have died prematurely. “It’s disheartening,” she told *Variety*. “It’s not normal.”

Christy Carlson Romano, another former Disney star, wrote in a recent essay that early fame creates a form of trauma. “We have almost no language for what happens when stress, scrutiny, rejection, adult pressure, and the collapse of privacy become the architecture of a childhood,” she wrote.

Trautman added that the loss of fame and identity when a child actor’s career declines can leave them without the emotional rewards they once relied on, leading some to self-medicate. “Their brain is still used to that dopamine hit from success and attention. Stopping is incredibly difficult.”

Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, acknowledged in media interviews that she pushed her daughter toward acting from infancy—Panettiere first appeared in a commercial at 11 months old. In a 2024 interview, Panettiere said her early career trajectory prioritized performance over personal well-being. “There were a lot of things done with an approach that was not about my mental health or what was emotionally or mentally safe for me,” she told *The New York Times*.

While the investigation continues, Panettiere’s death underscores the long-term toll of early fame and the need for greater support systems for young performers navigating pressure, access to substances, and the absence of normal childhood boundaries.