Paris Hilton hasn't received "anything" from her parents since she turned 18.

The 44-year-old socialite admitted money equals happiness for her because she has "worked so hard" and following her traumatic teen years, when she has claimed she experienced "verbal, physical, emotional and psychological" torture whilst a student at Provo Canyon - a psychiatric youth residential facility - in Utah, she sees being successful as "freedom".

Asked if money means happiness, she told Us Weekly magazine: "It does because I've worked so hard, and success has always been a driving force for me. [After] going to those schools, I made a promise that I was going to become so successful that no one could ever tell me what to do again. So I really see it as freedom.

"I haven't gotten [from my parents] anything since I was 18. I've been working since I was 16. I did everything on my own."

Paris and her husband Carter Reum are parents to son Phoenix, three, and two-year-old daughter London, and the Stars Are Blind hitmaker doesn't want to "spoil" her kids because of the damaging long-term impact of giving them everything they want.

She said: "If you spoil your children, you will destroy them. That's something that my husband and I talk about. We want to give them the most beautiful life and make them happy, but we also want to instill a work ethic...

"I'm very privileged [to have come] from a family where I've been able to learn so much from such incredible businessmen and women. But I've seen a lot of people who come from prestigious families, and… they've never worked a day in their life, and I've seen how unhappy they are.

"They have no fulfillment in life because they're just handed everything."

Paris couldn't be happier with Carter as both a husband and a dad.

She gushed: "He's so sweet and fun and gentle and an amazing dad. They love him so much. We're the best parents.

"I can look in someone's eyes and see whether they're a good person or not. When he looked at me and smiled, I could tell there was something special about him. He has incredible family values, and he's kind, patient, loyal, funny and loving and lifts me up in a way that no one ever has before."