Britney Spears: Motherhood helps alleviate my anxiety

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Mom-of-two Britney Spears says motherhood has helped relieve her anxiety.

The 34-year-old singer revealed in the October issue of Marie Claire U.K that sons Preston and Jayden have helped her to worry less while discussing her longtime struggle with anxiety.

"I moved to Los Angeles when I was very young," Spears told the magazine. "I was so under scrutiny. If a hair was out of place, I'd be so anxious. I would get very anxious about so many things."

"Becoming a mother and being with my boys has made me so much more accepting of myself. I'm their mom, whatever," she said. "That has been a really big thing for me over these last few years."

Spears, who shares her sons with ex-husband Kevin Federline, previously opened up about her anxiety in the E! documentary I Am Britney Jean. The star told fans she's actually much different from her bold onstage persona.

"I'm not really made for this industry," she admitted. "I have always been kind of shy, since I was a little girl. It's who I am to be modest, so I really can't help it ... It's almost like it's my alter ego when I get on stage."

"When I first started out I didn't care what anyone thought of me, I was just happy to be there," the singer said. "Then I started to realize there a lot of mean things out there on the Internet."

Spears came to fame as a child on The Mickey Mouse Club and was 18 when her debut album, ...Baby One More Time, was released in 1999. She released her ninth record, Glory, last week.