Her eyes welling up with emotion, a 24-year-old woman tells supporters of a mental illness charity how the organisation saved her from the depths of depression.

The girl, who wished to remain anonymous, told a meeting of Jami, the Jewish Association for Mental Illness, that she was indebted to the organisation which treats 1,200 people every year.

Speaking at Jami's 25th anniversary tea on Monday, she revealed the struggles she faced during her first year at university.

"I was trapped in a vicious circle of exercise, exhaustion, diet, weight and physical appearance. I could think of nothing else. I also began to struggle with my work. I found it especially hard to write my essays. I was judging every word and, in the end, I could not produce a single sentence."

One in four people experience a mental health issue every year. But the majority of young people, who are especially vulnerable, fear their friends' reactions if they talk about their own mental problems.

I could no longer look after myself. I couldn't do even the simplest tasks

This stigma is widespread, with nearly 90 per cent of victims facing discrimination, and is part of the reason why two-thirds of mentally ill people do not receive any help.

When she started her downwards spiral, she had no one to break her isolation. "I began to question if I was worthy of my place at university. I withdrew to my room, where I felt terribly alone, and thoughts of failure and self-loathing began to fester inside me.

"The gnawing feeling in me was unrelenting. I found it intolerable. I no longer wanted to go on thinking and feeling. I wanted only to be numb.

"It was at this critical stage, when I no longer wished to participate in life, when I had reached rock bottom, when I could no longer look after myself, when my mum had to take care of every little thing for me as I could no longer do even the simplest tasks, that my parents arranged for me to have professional treatment."

She was then directed to Jami, which helped her to start rebuilding her life.

"I realised that I needed more than just medication. I needed support with everyday living skills. When I had sunk into depression I had begun to regress. What had once been simple tasks had now become impossible.

The prospect of leaving the house or simply using the phone produced feelings of overwhelming anxiety and fear.

"I remember being frightened and reluctant to try anything new. Nothing would work, I thought. But over a period of time, I met with Jami's staff and together we discussed practical ways to manage anxiety and break through my isolation. I felt encouraged, little by little, to get out of the house, to get on with doing small things. Slowly, I made email contact with a few friends, which led to meetings."

As part of the process she became a Jami volunteer. "My first day was terrifying. I was frightened of using the phone, afraid of making a mistake. The staff discussed what would be needed from me and it was hard for me to take in what they said.

"However, as time went by, I found I was able to master these tasks and more.

"I now had some purpose and structure to my week, just by doing the simple, ordinary things that one does: getting up in the morning, taking the train to work, answering the phone and talking to people.

"Eventually I felt ready to take on a job.

"By contributing to Jami's work, I am contributing to myself."