Hayden Panettiere has revealed her choice to begin treatment at a facility to combat postpartum depression. She has spoken openly about her struggle since the birth of her daughter in December 2014, but now it appears she has continued to struggle.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, nearly 15% of new moms suffer from some form of mental illness during or after pregnancy.

The main issue experts have with postpartum depression, even in conducting research, is understanding on a deeper level the variability of the condition. Not every woman experiences it the same, and the severity of the disease varies. Postpartum depression in some cases can develop into a more serious condition called postpartum psychosis.

Causes of postpartum depression are still not well understood. Public opinion of this condition can even go so far to disregard it as an actual illness. That is absolutely not the case. Postpartum is a real condition and much of the reason it occurs heavily does stem from the major hormonal changes happening inside a woman’s body.

Panettiere was quoted saying that this condition can be really painful and scary, stating that women need a lot of support during this time. I agree and this is not just a simple hormone problem. Clearly deeper change is happening that affects the mental state of new mothers.

New mothers will experience low energy, sadness, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, reduced desire for sex, crying episodes, anxiety and irritability. These symptoms can sometimes begin during pregnancy not just after. In fact, many recent cases of PPD show depressive episodes happening prior to delivery. If the signs begin after pregnancy, it usually emerges about 2 weeks post-birth.

The initial time after is a critical period for moms and their infants to bond. PPD can adversely affect child development if it persists.

If a woman does have a history of depression or bipolar disorders, this can be one of the triggers for PPD, however that’s not the whole story. Many of the risk factors are things we may ignore as just an “off-day” or “nothing to worry about.” Women who have experience stressful life events during their pregnancy, difficulty breastfeeding or even with a weak support system can be at risk. Also, it’s important to understand the women in your family who have had PPD; this increases your risk.

I support Panetierre’s call for more awareness, support and outreach to women suffering from this. At the drop of the phrase “postpartum depression” many people race to think about mothers having feelings towards harming their child, but that’s not always the case. In many cases, mothers just have negative feelings towards themselves.

So why does this happen? How much do we know?

Right now, experts believe PPD develops based on physical changes or emotional issues. The dramatic drop in estrogen and progesterone hormones may contribute. The more interesting and varied cause is when it stems from an emotional problem. Even something as simple as sleep deprivation can trigger PPD. If women feel overwhelmed handling even minor problems, anxiety about the ability to care for a newborn or struggle with their sense of identity due to body changes, can all bring on symptoms of PPD.

So how do we treat this?

The first thing we need to ensure is that if women experience any of these symptoms, they immediately begin to reach out for help. Beyond that, psychotherapy, appropriate medications, complimentary or alternative therapies as well as basic wellness can help alleviate and even cure this condition.

If gone untreated, PPD can last for months or more and may lead to a chronic depression disorder. Minor forms of this may only last up to two weeks, beyond that patients should talk to their doctor immediately.