Hayden Panettiere Wanted to 'Get Better and Stay Sober' But 'Couldn’t Handle Feeling Judged by People Around Her,' Source Claims After Star's Death

Hayden Panettiere was candid about her struggles with addiction and mental health, but sadly, speaking openly wasn’t enough to silence the demons she faced.

Two days after the actress passed away at age 36 from a suspected overdose, an insider spilled on why she would fall off the wagon over the years.

Despite finding renewed success over the last year or so with roles in Scream 6 and a bestselling memoir, the Heroes alum wasn't in a great place recently.

"It can be an incredibly lonely world when you’re struggling like Hayden was, both mentally and with her sobriety," the insider spilled to People. "She wanted to be sober, but there were times when she couldn’t handle feeling judged by people around her."

According to the source, Panettiere, who had gone to rehab for substance abuse and postpartum depression, would surround herself with the wrong people when she wasn't doing well.

As OK! reported, it was alleged that the blonde beauty had secretly rekindled her romance with abusive on-off ex Brian Hickerson, who even served jail time for his violent behavior.

"She’d do better when he wasn’t around, and people close to her could see that," the insider noted. "But when she was struggling and feeling alone, she’d gravitate back toward him."

"That was always the sad part. She really did want to get better and stay sober, but the person she felt safest being around when she was struggling wasn’t necessarily the person who was going to help her get there," they added.

Panettiere's addiction was what previously led her to give up custody of her now 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, to ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.

The former child star said letting Kaya move to Ukraine with her father "was the hardest thing I ever had to do," but she knew it was in the tot's best interest.

"She was so incredibly proud of Kaya. She’d talk about her all the time, and you could see how much she loved her," an additional insider shared. "But there was also always sadness there. It was heartbreaking for Hayden that she wasn’t able to be part of her daughter’s everyday life."

"It takes a certain kind of strength as a mother to recognize that what you want for yourself may not be what’s best for your child," they continued. "Of course Hayden wanted to be with Kaya every day, but she also knew that she was struggling and that Kaya had stability with her dad and family. As painful as that was for Hayden, she put Kaya first."

As OK! reported, an unidentified friend found Panettiere unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment on Sunday, August 16, where Hickerson was present.

Though medics administered "advanced cardiac life support" while she was in cardiac arrest, the Ice Princess star couldn't be revived. Narcan, a nasal spray that can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, was found in the apartment, though it's unclear if Panettiere ever used it.

An autopsy confirmed there were no signs of trauma or foul play, but her official cause of death has not yet been revealed.