Sherri's story

In raising three teenagers, Sherri juggles the usual whirlwind of school, sports, friends, and family commitments.

She also has duties most parents don't face.

She shuttles all the kids to counseling and psychiatrist appointments and makes sure they take daily antidepressant medicines.

For a long time, Sherri was so focused on helping her family that she ignored her own depression symptoms. She had postpartum depression after each pregnancy, and after her last child, she felt like the depression never went away.

She was forgetful, and chunks of time would go missing. It was hard for her to keep track of things. She was completely exhausted.

Finally a counselor who helped her with her kids pointed out that Sherri was barely functioning. They discussed whether Sherri might have depression.

"A light just went on," Sherri says.

Sherri started taking an antidepressant, and within 3 months her husband told her he could see a huge difference. Within 6 months, she felt like a whole new person.

"It took about a year for me to not feel depressed at all," she says.

Sherri's story reflects her experiences as told in an interview. The photograph is not of Sherri, to protect her privacy.

For more information, see the topic Depression.