St. john's wort and Depression: What Users Say

• hap...
• February 8, 2018

For Depression "I suddenly started thinking about life and death and about the meaning of this world, etc. I suffered from panic attacks and a bunch of phobias showed up. I started realizing that I might be suffering from moderate to borderline severe depression. I didn’t want to see the psychiatrist because I didn’t want to talk about my feelings. I didn’t recognize myself and couldn’t enjoy anything in life. So, I started taking it out on binge eating and gained 30 lbs in two months. I started with holy basil tea, and that seemed to help me with the panic attacks. However, the sadness and pessimism were still in me. Then I started taking valerian every late afternoon to tranquilize myself from anxiety. Then I found out about St. John's wort. I started drinking three cups a day of the St. John's wort tea because I read that tea gives almost immediate results compared to capsules. On the third day, I noticed that I was able to sleep through the night without the valerian, and in the morning, I was waking up happy."

• lui...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 13, 2017

For Depression "I began taking St. John's Wort in a low dose (300 mg in the morning). Almost immediately, I started to feel better; it elevated my mood, and my depression is about 2/10, being 1 no depression and 10 severe depression. I am now reducing my dose to zero, but I am starting to feel a bit depressed. I think I am going to continue on St. John's Wort on a dose of 150 mg daily."

• D88...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 4, 2022

For Depression "I overcame complex PTSD with EMDR treatment and finally got off my prescription meds in the last year that I’d relied on for a decade. So, when seasonal affective disorder hit me hard this year, I was reluctant to take any prescribed medication. I find SSRI side effects of having no emotions and low sex drive too much to face again. My GP suggested St. John's Wort. I was scared to try because I read it can make you anxious and very cynical, as I’ve never found herbal remedies helpful whatsoever. However, from the 2nd day, I noticed a significant improvement in my mood, and the heavy brain fog (which was affecting my ability to work) was gone. Even a colleague commented that I seemed back to myself. It’s been about 8/9 days, and my mood has remained stable. I feel normal again. It really does work - I NEVER thought I’d say that! I've noticed it can make you a little jittery sometimes, but it’s better than feeling depressed, anxious, and suicidal."

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 9, 2018

For Depression "So I had depression/anxiety for over 25 years. Finally got off medication last year because I changed my diet and had done pretty well with it. My doctor keeps trying to pin every ailment I have back on my depression, so I thought I’d give St. John’s wort a try, despite not having cyclical depressive/anxiety thoughts. Just going by my physical symptoms...after three days, I was in full-blown panic mode, with deep depression, thoughts I have not had for the past year. So IDK, I guess it wasn’t my depression...like I told my doctor, but he wouldn’t listen. So I can’t say this works. I would have thought I would have gotten some help for just generally feeling like rubbish and not really happy."