'Roseanne' star Sara Gilbert praises Emma Kenney for 'seeking treatment'

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'Roseanne' star Sara Gilbert praises Emma Kenney for 'seeking treatment'

Sara Gilbert, co-star and on-screen mother to Emma Kenney on the hit ABC series

Sara Gilbert, co-star and on-screen mother to Emma Kenney on the hit ABC series "Roseanne," has praised the 18-year-old actress after she announced she was "seeking treatment" for her wild behavior.

"I just first want to say, Emma, I’m so proud of you. I know that the whole cast and crew are so proud of you and it takes a lot of courage… We all have demons and it takes a lot of courage to face them, particularly at 18. I envy you,” Gilbert  said on Thursday's episode of "The Talk."

“If I could go back to being 18 and start doing things to better myself at the pace you’re doing, I would be a better person today. So I commend you, I love you and I know you will come out the other side. And thank you for speaking up and being an example...”

The day before Gilbert's talk show appearance, the actress' on-screen daughter revealed that she was ready to "make better choices." 

"I was running with a really fast crowd. I was being naive and very immature, and I was doing things I should not be doing because it was illegal and I’m not 21," Kenney told In Touch magazine. "It wasn’t healthy, and it was making me feel even worse — anxious and depressed. It was just a slippery slope that I did not want to go down. And I knew that I needed to stop it."

Kenney and Gilbert in 'Roseanne.' (© 2017 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Though the actress did not share the details of her behavior, she explained that since starting treatment she has a better idea of how to balance Hollywood and her personal life.

"Now, in treatment, I will work on finding other ways to cope with boredom, find hobbies and better learn how to deal with stress," she said, adding that she has had significant support from friends and family. "I just think I need a mental sanity break and a break from the Hollywood scene."

But while she is in the spotlight, the actress explained that she wants to use her platform to educate and help others struggling through dark times.

"I just want to send a message to my fans saying that it’s OK to admit that you need help, and it doesn’t make you weak," she said. "I know I’m making the right choice by going to treatment, and I’m going to come out the other side the right Emma, the true Emma that I’ve always been."