Do any of you take St. John's Wort? Has your experience been positive or negative?

Also, do you all have any idea how long it takes to reach effective levels in the body? I'm assuming it's at least a month if it truely acts as an SSRI (this is the primary hypothesis as of late), but I really can't find too much info in this area.

I started taking it a couple days ago, and the only change I've felt so far is a nasty case of cotton-mouth.

I took st johns wort for 3 weeks but it didnt make me feel any different mood wize it made me feel a bit stoned and lathargic. I tried 5-HTP and found that helped me with my mood and i felt results from that in the first week

emma
xxxxxx

It needs to be taken for 3 months, as with any antidepressant. And do not take it with ANY other medication without first checking with your doctor.

This is a potent drug, has many side-effects and reactions with other drugs and needs to be taken at an appropriate dosage over a minimum period for the desired effects. Aside from that there is some evidence that it can play a role in depression, but if you suspect you have clinical depression, whatever medication you might consider, you should first consult you doctor about your condition.

Well, I love the stuff. I take it in a flavoured tea form. I have a tendency towards anxiety and also can easily slip into depression -often this is caused by certain foods. For instance I cannot drink instant coffee. I will become seriously depressed within 1 minute of drinking 1/4 of a cup. Some but not all food additives and flavours also do this to me.

I have taken Luvox under prescription and that was a very effective way to initially manage my anxiety/depression. What I like about St John's wort is that the effect is mild and the tea form allows me to progessively medicate myself depending on how I feel. I find it basically calming. I take nootropics and typical B vitamin complexes but if I had to choose amoung them all I would put St John's wort very high on my list.

As to time for it to take effect I am not sure as have been taking it for so long, but I do recall it was fairly quick -within a day or so.

I think you need to learn a little more about what clinical depression is.

Perhaps, but classifications aside and to be brief, I have a metabolism which tends to cascade into depressive states. This process can be brought on by many things both physical and otherwise and once down it can be a very difficult and drawn out process to come right again. After being diagnosed and then treated with SRI's what I have found is that if I support myself environmentally, socially and nutritionally I don't get to that edge where the slide downward begins. For me St John's wort just works, it is mild and allows me to head off anxiety and depression before it becomes all consuming. Coming from the other extreme where a chronic state of depression existed it perhaps may be of lesser value.

5-htp helps with depression in many people. Salvia divinorum is very effective in the right dose. Do some reading on that.