New York - Actress Mischa Barton has talked for the first time about why she was hospitalized last month for psychiatric observation.

"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 actress, 23, told Time Out New York.

Barton said her trials and tribulations included "terrible" wisdom tooth surgery that she had to undergo without proper painkillers because of work, and which is only just healing.

She also described feeling pressure about her new show.

"I got completely stressed out and couldn't handle everything," Barton said, "and now I feel really in control." (dpa)