Drew Barrymore met with Howard Stern and co-host Robin Quivers on The Howard Stern Show to chat about growing up in Hollywood, her new talk show, her reunion with ex-husband Tom Green and much more.

"I have so much empathy toward so many people," Drew Barrymore told Howard Stern while referring to Britney Spears and other child stars. "I'm sure that people look on and think, 'These party girls, these privileges, how dare they have feelings about any of this? They've put themselves out there, they've asked for this — it's fair fucking game,' and I just go, 'They're humans. They're just humans,' and I have a lot of empathy." "It's hard to grow up in front of people. It's just hard," she divulged.

Barrymore also revealed to Stern details of her troubled youth, sharing this about the time her mother put her in a psychiatric ward at 13. "I was in a place for a year and a half called Van Nuys Psychiatric and you couldn't mess around in there. If you did, you'd get thrown either in the padded room or get put in stretcher restraints and tied up". When Stern asked her how she ended up in a place like that, she admitted "I would channel my inner-riot girl. Some days it was really funny," Barrymore giggled, "It was like half a kids facility and half an old person's place, so as I was riling up these young girls a woman in a walker would go by. It was hilarious." She gave a positive spin on what could have been a traumatic experience, calling it "the best thing to happen to me, in a sick way, because it cooled me out".

Drew also shared insight into the tumultuous relationship with her mother.

"I think she created a monster and she didn't know what to do with the monster,"

"This was her last gasp, and I really was out of control, and I forgive her for making this choice. She probably felt she had nowhere to turn." "Are you talking to her now?" asked Stern. "Yeah, we texted this morning. I'm really glad there is healing there," Again, Drew had a relatively positive perspective. "I feel goodness toward my mom. I feel empathy and understanding".

The final subject covered in the interview was one of Drew's love life. She first shared what was the demise of her past marriage with Tom Green.

"I could go into a studio and pitch … but I didn't know how to handle things in my personal life." "I think Tom needed some time … I think his coping mechanism was to build a little bit of a wall, and I respected that,"

Barrymore concluded her interview with a final piece on what love might hold for her in the future. "So, [dating] is fun. I'm glad I'm able to have some fun again." Howard prodded and asked her what she is looking for, to which she said she was looking for someone confident, funny, and employed. She concluded the interview with the statement, "I think I'm at the best place I've ever been and it took me a long time to get here. Life is messy, man, and I'm finally, like, really proud of who I am," she gushed to Howard. "That feels good."

The Howard Stern Show, which airs on SiriusXM channel Howard 100, is broadcast live Mondays through Wednesdays starting at 7:00 am ET.