Mariah Carey had low self-esteem when she was growing up.

The 39-year-old singer admits she has struggled with confidence issues her whole life and especially when she was a teenager who wanted to be liked.

Mariah - who is married to TV presenter Nick Cannon - admits she struggled to get over her breakdown in 2001 following her critical and commercial flop film 'Glitter' and album of the same name and complaints of being "overworked".

The pop diva claims people lost perspective and became intensely interested in her life, which is why she felt the need to step back from the public spotlight to recharge.

Mariah - who checked into hospital in 2001 - explained: "I didn't have the right support system around me. It was after September 11. A lot of people taking shots at me had no place to go. We are friggin' ADD, this country (America)."