anti depressant?

[plj]

A friend told me that St. Johns Wort can be used as a natural anti depressant-is that correct? What is it, and where do I get it?

[gigglepin]

Its a natural remedy, you can get it in any health food shop.

I tried it....unfortunately, only the prescrbed drugs from my GP helped me..... massively.

[fedupandtired]

I'm pretty sure you can also get it from supermarkets.

Don't be fooled by the term "natural" though. It's as potent as any prescription medication. Only difference is it hasn't had to go through all the clinical trials required to get a medicine licensed.

It has been well studied though so is a relatively safe bet and is very effective for mild to moderate depression. It does have side effects though, like any medication, which you'll need to be aware of.

I think it works out more costly than a prescription though...

[orangeflutie]

I recently spoke to my doctor about SJW as I was considering taking it.

She isn't keen on it herself as although 'natural' it hasn't been tested enough and interferes with quite a few other medicines.

It does works well for some people but I decided not to risk taking it instead of my ADs.