AceShowbiz -

Zayn Malik just admitted that he's no longer had anxiety problem. The 24-year-old singer opened up about how he handled the pressure when he was still a member of One Direction as the "Pillowtalk" hitmaker described how the environment led to anxiety and issues surrounding his self-image.

"It wasn't specifically an eating disorder," Zayn told The Sunday Times. "It was a control thing. Every area of my life was so regimented and controlled [the boys in 1D would sometimes have to go straight from playing a stadium to recording new material in the evening], it was the one area where I could say, 'No, I'm not eating that.' Once I got over the control, the eating just came back into place, super naturally."

Zayn first talked about his eating disorder in his biography, "Zayn", which was released in 2016. He revealed that sometimes he would do all of his activities without eating anything. Addressing his struggle, Zayn said, "Not supernaturally! Just really naturally. I came back to the UK and spent time with my mum and got some TLC and she cooked me food and I got back in touch, mentally, with a lot of things I'd lost."

However, Zayn claimed, "I now have no problem with anxiety. It was something I was dealing with in the band." The "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" singer added, "People saw strength in that, and they didn't seem to expect it from a guy, but they expect it from a female, which to me is crazy. We're all human. People are often afraid to admit difficulties, but I don't believe that there should be a struggle with anything that's the truth."

Mentioning his second album, Zayn said, "They always say the second album is difficult, but so far I'm really happy with this one." The "It's You" crooner shared, "There are real signs of growth and development. Hopefully, as a human being, I'm growing too, in my knowledge and perception."