Is Paris Hilton’s Medical Condition Claustrophobia?

A friend of Paris Hilton tells E! Online’s Planet Gossip Show cohost Tina Dirmann that the heiress considers herself claustrophobic and says her fear of enclosed spaces often throws her into a panic.

“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 what would happen. I know her well enough to know she must have been flipping out. That’s what happens to her. She can’t breathe, her heart races and she feels like she’s going to pass out! I knew it would be bad for her.”

The friend said he was even on a shopping trip out with Paris about two years ago when she began melting down, the pal recalls.

“We were in the store, and she just started 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.” That’s what happens when there’s a run on Prada. (Aw, Paris, we kid!)

Afterward, the friend said Paris told him she’s very afraid of enclosed spaces, and it sometimes causes her to “freak out” when she feels too closed in.

I dunno, for someone claustrophobic, she sure does spend a lot of time in airplanes and packed parties. But I guess she’s typically inebriated under those circumstances, so maybe that makes it easier for her to stomach. If this is true, I feel a little teeny tiny bit bad for her, because I suffer from panic attacks myself under some circumstances, and I know how awful they are, but, hey, don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time, right? Paris should have thought about how much jail would suck for her before she broke the law. Twice.

[source]