My mum has suffered with anxiety (and associated problems) since I was 10 (so about 20 years now). It got really bad at one point and she was diagnosed with agoraphobia. But she pushed herself at got through it. Since being made redundant her self esteem is rick bottom and has brought about depression again. She cannot find another job as this one was two hours a day about 5 mins walk from home and anything else is too much. She is still fighting though. She only takes the medication when she absolutely has to and constantly pushes herself. I believe that her mental illness does not make her weak, but the way she is overcoming it shows how strong she is. Thank you for reading this. In time I will be able to tell her all this.