Kelly McDermott* was trying to focus on the road while driving with her two young kids in the car, but four-year-old Annabelle* wouldn?t stop crying and kicking her seat. McDermott felt like she was trapped in a crowded elevator that was filling with water?her senses were overloaded, her heart was racing and there was no escape. She went from zero to rage in seconds. With one hand on the steering wheel, she reached around and grabbed Annabelle?s legs. ?Shut up!? she snapped. ?You need to shut up!? But her daughter only screamed louder and cried harder, and McDermott completely lost it, swearing uncontrollably. For the previous few weeks, her depression and anxiety had been gaining on her, and now her anger was peaking. I need help, she thought in the midst of her tirade. I need my medication. McDermott was in her first month of pregnancy after a successful frozen embryo transfer and had gone off her antidepressant, Effexor, a month before conceiving because she knew there was a small chance the drug could cause birth defects. The guilt she would harbour if her antidepressant harmed her baby was unfathomable. She had made it through her first two pregnancies unmedicated, but this time felt different. This time, she had a toddler and a preschooler to deal with, and was struggling to cope with the daily challenges of parenting. 
Without her medication, McDermott was irritable and quick to anger, common symptoms of depression. She felt overwhelmed by basic tasks, such as chan...