Mischa Barton steps out at the celebration of the I 'Heart' Ronson collection on August 20, 2009 in New York City Getty ImagesAccess Hollywood

NEW YORK, New York -- Mischa Barton has spoken out for the first time since she was hospitalized in Los Angeles in July and held under an involuntary psychiatric hold.

The actress, who stars this fall on The CW's "The Beautiful Life," addressed her hospitalization at LA's Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in a new interview with Time Out New York.

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"Here's what happened: Before the show started, I was traveling abroad for contract stuff and I went through a terrible surgery -- a wisdom tooth surgery, all four removed. It was a nightmare," the actress explained. "I've never had surgery before -- it all went wrong and I had to have a second surgery and it almost delayed shooting because it was a nightmare to me, because I couldn't deal with the thought of not getting there on time. So with the travel, and surgery and prep for the show -- it was hell."

Mischa confirmed to the magazine the news Access Hollywood first broke in July - that she was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center under an involuntary psychiatric hold.

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"I went through a tough spot where everything compounded on me, and it was like a perfect storm, like everything was happening to me at once. The show, travel and then this fairly routine surgery that went wrong," she told the mag. "It's still just healing. But I had to get through it without proper painkillers because I couldn't take those during work. So it's been a nightmare."

When asked how she ended up in a psychiatric hospital, Mischa said it had a lot to do with stress.

"I was down in the dumps about everything there for a while," she said. "Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom about things and have to get the most stressed-out just to feel better again. I got completely stressed-out and couldn't handle everything, and now I feel really in control."

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When asked if a nervous breakdown led her to the hospital, Mischa said pain played a role.

"I don't know. I don't know. I had a friend who had a quasi-nervous breakdown, but I'm not sure it's the same thing," she said. "I'm not sure I'm capable of a full-on nervous breakdown, but it was pretty bad. It didn't last that long. It was more about the pain. I have a newfound respect for people who have chronic pain. I started getting migraines."

Although pain played a role, Mischa said the doctors did not teach her how to handle pain.

"The doctor told me I was lucky I didn't lose feeling in my lips and face, which would have been horrifying and couldn't act properly," she said.

Mischa also revealed that it was her mother who admitted her involuntarily to the hospital, by nodding and rolling her eyes, when asked that question by Time Out.

"The funny thing is, if all this happened in New York, no one would care," she added.

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