And when a child actor's career changes or comes to an end, they are left without the dopamine of fame and money that came with their identity as an actor, cautioned Trautman.

"At the same time many of them self medicated... so their brain is still reliant on that, and it's really really hard to stop using," he said.

Many child stars also have professional relationships with their parents, which can blur boundaries and leave them vulnerable, Trautman said.

In her book and in the media, Panettiere has discussed the pressure her mother placed on her to excel as an actress from an early age. She appeared in her first commercial when she was just 11-months-old.

"You always want to think the best of your parents and see them in the brightest light," the actress told the New York Times in May. "But 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 to do."

Substance abuse also puts people at risk for a host of medical conditions, including heart disease and liver and other organ damage.

Panettiere's brother, Jansen, died aged 28 from a heart condition, and Panettiere revealed in her book that her brother was using heroin and cocaine leading up to his death.

But after he died, the actress told People Magazine in 2024 she was committed to staying sober, telling the outlet her addiction was "in the rear view mirror".

She said in her book that at one point a doctor told her that if she did not stop drinking, she would be "dead within five years".

For Moyers and other substance abuse experts, addiction is a chronic illness, meaning that relapses still happen even while treatment saves lives.

"Living in recovery means doing the best we can, but doing it imperfectly," he said.

Read More