Has anyone here tried St. John's Wort?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

St. John's Wort freaks me out because it always seems to be counterindicated with so many drugs.

Steven, is your daughter getting enough exercise?

Being a teenage girl is really tough. I hope she is able to find something to make it easier.

She's not getting enough exercise, but because she's thin, she equates it as being healthy. Before the start of the school year, she talked about going out for volleyball, but that fizzled.

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Good luck Steve, I hope she comes out of it. School sports are great, so that's too bad it didn't work out for her to do the volleyball..not necessary by any means, but the whole exersize, hanging out with the friends, etc etc thing is really beneficial IMO. Plus, a lot of schools (ours anyway) have a certain grade point you need to keep in order to play..so helps keep em motivated there as well. Anyway, kind of off track..all the best to her. M.

[Ta Ta 1]

St. John's wort ( for dpression ) and kava Kava ( for anxiety ) has been known to help

with mild cases but reports came out about liver damage in some people

that take it. I don't know who is behind these reports, maybe just the drug companies

who prefer everyone spends money on subsciption drugs. I would be cautious though.

Vitamin B complex also helps and the other things mentioned already, exercise.

Talk therapy may be helpful.

Where's my prozac by the way.........this thing is taking too long

[rebeccajo 14]

Actually I think Valerian is more effective than St. Johns. At least for me.

If you can find an herbal combination of valerian and camomille, that'd be even better.

If she's not sleeping properly, that could be part of it. Drinking water? Flushes out all sorts of impurities.....

[Caladan 19]

St. John's Wort futzes with the birth control pill, fyi.

[Mags 112]

A friend of mine takes it. He's much, much better while taking it than not. If you use the pill/capsule form, it takes much more than you would think it would. It ain't like drugs.

Yes, I know quite a few people who have used it with great effect. But just check with your GP first to make sure it doesn't have any effects on other meds you're taking.

Another thing to also make a note of is that the effects aren't instant...they take a little while to build up, so just like normal antidepressants, give it a few weeks and see what happens. Normal prescription anti-d's take 6 weeks to work. Nothing gets better overnight...

Don't be scared.... pagans don't bite. Usually. LOL

You don't? Damn...

[Welshcookie 17]

A friend of mine takes it. He's much, much better while taking it than not. If you use the pill/capsule form, it takes much more than you would think it would. It ain't like drugs.

Yes, I know quite a few people who have used it with great effect. But just check with your GP first to make sure it doesn't have any effects on other meds you're taking.

Another thing to also make a note of is that the effects aren't instant...they take a little while to build up, so just like normal antidepressants, give it a few weeks and see what happens. Normal prescription anti-d's take 6 weeks to work. Nothing gets better overnight...

Don't be scared.... pagans don't bite. Usually. LOL

You don't? Damn...

Maybe I will give it another go, my mood definatley dips when the long British winter sets in...I did also find that it made me drowsy....maybe taking it at night would be the answer to that....

[ChristinaM 0]

Steven, if you're seriously concerned about your daughter I would suggest that a short course of prescription drugs might not necessarily be a bad thing. It's also very easy to tell whether it's chemical depression or circumstantial (reactive) depression at that point - the SSRIs won't work if it's not a chemical imbalance.

If you're dead set against that and feel very strongly that an alternative practice is the way to go, see if you have a local practicianer that you can go and talk to, and preferably take your daughter to also. I have a business acquaintance who is a very good chiropractor and his office is heavily into alternative treatments. I would be happy to pass his phone number on to you, and I'm sure he would be happy to advise.

[Bruce n Jen 0]

Try taking a long walk - that's right - chances are if you're feeling all anxious etc you are very introverted, taking a walk and looking all around you will extrovert your attention and make you feel better.

Yes. When I'm feeling the anxiety, I hit the gym and especially after doing some type of aerobic activity, I feel very relaxed. But I was thinking more for my teenage daughter who has been depressed. I'd rather try an alternative to putting her on any prescription.

I understand - however my advice is for anyone! Have her try it - it costs nothing at all

[almaty 19]

there has been clinical studies in germany in the past on it..appears to be effective in some cases...not for someone who has a severe affect disorder though

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Steven, if you're seriously concerned about your daughter I would suggest that a short course of prescription drugs might not necessarily be a bad thing. It's also very easy to tell whether it's chemical depression or circumstantial (reactive) depression at that point - the SSRIs won't work if it's not a chemical imbalance.

If you're dead set against that and feel very strongly that an alternative practice is the way to go, see if you have a local practicianer that you can go and talk to, and preferably take your daughter to also. I have a business acquaintance who is a very good chiropractor and his office is heavily into alternative treatments. I would be happy to pass his phone number on to you, and I'm sure he would be happy to advise.

Thanks for the suggestions. I am weary about prescription anti-depressants because of the horror stories of teenagers who've been on them.

There are many factors that I wish I could address first. Her diet could improve but that's hard for me to control other than being selective about what groceries I buy. Her sleeping pattern is all over the place. She'll sleep until late in the afternoons on the weekends but during the school week, she of course has to be up at 6:30 in the morning. She also misses her mom and there is a bit of resentment towards me because she's here with me instead of with her mom. Her mom couldn't take care of her...long story but, we went to talk with a counselor earlier this week because she was saying she wants to drop out of regular school and go to one of the alternative, independent studies. I'm totally against it. So that's why I thought perhaps if I got her mood elevated a little with some St. John's Wort - just enough so that I can get her to cooperate with the other issues, she would make progress.

p.s. Just wanted to add that on the positive, she is very social and has a great number of friends. That is the one saving grace. She even goes to a thing called Young Life - it's a Christian based group where the teens get together at someone's house. She got started with that from some her friends on the cheerleading squad. In any case, she has a very healthy social life - definitely not an introvert or loner.

Edited October 14, 2006 by Steven_and_Jinky

[Aymerlu 3]

I've seen many patients come in on St. Johns, but I haven't really heard anything good from it. There are also side effects that many don't realize and it can interact with many over the counter meds.

[moondancer627 0]

I have tried St. John's Wort, but you need to take it consistantly for over a month before the effects kick in. Since I am not a very good pill taker it didn't do anything for me except maybe the placebo effect. I take Valarian at night but again, I think it's a placebo since I still wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep.

The number one question about depression is ... Is the depression situational? or is it a chemical imbalance in the brain?

Situational depression may last a week or so, but normally through exercise, better diet and being with friends who you trust and love it goes away.

The chemical imbalance is the one to be concerned with and needs to be treated with medication to balance all those chemicals.

That is the scary part, many doctors are not willing to work with you to overcome the situational depression, they just want to throw drugs at you to solve the problem

Good Luck with your daughter...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

That is the scary part, many doctors are not willing to work with you to overcome the situational depression, they just want to throw drugs at you to solve the problem

I agree. I went to an internist a few years ago during a stressful time in my life. Within the first few minutes of describing to her my symptoms she was writing out a prescription for Celexa. It did help with me to cope but I felt like it really wasn't addressing the real causes for my anxiety/depression. I was on it for awhile then switched to Lexapro (?) for about 2 years. I finally stopped taking it and had some strange withdrawals - feeling loopy/dizzy, which finally subsided after about a month.

[Reba 2]

Thanks. I know her nutrition definitely is having an impact on how she feels emotionally.

when I was suffering thru adolesence, I also suffered terribly with food allergies, which in turn triggered a horrible deep depression.

Take her to a doctor and let her talk it out. They may find the trigger and be able to treat her accordingly. Teens on anti-depressants is rarely a good thing, but finding treatment for the triggers always is.

Good luck.