A close friend of Paris Hilton has revealed that the heiress considers herself claustrophobic.

Paris’ friend reports that the fear of enclosed spaces often throws the heiress into a panicked state of frenzy.

“It’s not surprising to me that she was melting down because she was cooped up in a tiny cell 23 hours a day. When I heard that, I knew that would happen. I know her well enough to know she must have been flipping out. That’s what happens to her. She can’t breath, her heart races and she feels like she’s going to pass out! I knew it would be bad for her.”

The mole claims she first discovered Paris was claustrophic a couple of years ago when the two went shopping:

“We were in the store, and she just starting saying, ‘I’ve got to get out of here. I’m going to nose dive!’ Her hands were shaking and she said she felt dizzy, like she was going to black out or something.”

Paris told him that she is very afraid of enclosed spaces, and it sometimes causes her to “freak out” when she feels too closed in.