But the model and university student believes it is something no one should think they have endure on their own.

The 22-year-old from Narrabundah spent several weeks in hospital being treated for anxiety and depression, which she has battled for about six years.

In the same week as the world mourns the tragic death of comedian and actor Robin Williams, Ms Butcher has bravely spoken out about her own battle to encourage people to seek help and support.

Ms Butcher opened up about her battle with depression and anxiety on social media about a month ago, shortly after her admission to Calvary Hospital.

"I've chosen to speak out because struggling against the stigma as well as the illness is something no one should have to do," she wrote.

"Mental illness can be debilitating and often go unseen. My message is that there is support and hope out there for everyone; don't be ashamed to reach for it."

Ms Butcher believes she was initially in denial about her anxiety and depression, attributing the way she felt to stress.

"I tried to rationalise it but it slowly eats away at everything in your life," she said.

"I lost my enjoyment in seeing friends, going to work, going to uni and pretty much stayed in my room and would cry myself to sleep. That's when I realised there was really no joy left in my life and that I needed some help to get it back."

Ms Butcher, who praised the "amazing nurses and doctors" at Calvary Hospital, said mental illness did not discriminate.

She said some of her darkest times were also the ones where she felt most helpless and alone.

"I also felt embarrassed and ashamed as well because I have such a supportive family, partner and friends," she said.

Ms Butcher said seeking support and help had enabled her to realise that she did not need to suffer alone.

"I became very aware that it's quite a common issue but people still don't talk about it," she said.

Ms Butcher said depression was still very much an "invisible" illness.

"I think that if there wasn't such a stigma on it, I might have made more of an effort to seek help when it first started and hopefully I would have been able to stop it from completely controlling my life," she said.

"There's also this idea that society won't be accepting of it either which is a doubly hard obstacle for us. I think just having it be something people can talk about will make seeking help much easier."

Ms Butcher encouraged people who may be suffering from depression, anxiety or mental illness as well as their friends and family to know the signs and seek help as soon as possible.

"Don't ignore it because it is so insidious, it will eat away at everything - it will affect your work, your study, your friends, your family... everything you should be enjoying in life and you might not even notice it happening until it hits you in one big go," she said.

"Don't ignore it and don't be afraid because there is so much help out there."

Readers seeking support and information can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, 1300 78 99 78 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636