St John’s Wort: A Natural Way to Combat Depression

Nearly everyone has been prey to it: the “rainy day blues”, or feeling “down in the dumps”, but for some it can be much worse than others. For a growing population of individuals, these usually short-lived bouts of sadness can last weeks, months and may even stretch into years….terrifying! This horrible culprit, depression, has the tendency to make simple everyday tasks, like getting out of bed, the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest, and has the strength of entire armies to keep out happiness, which makes it all the more difficult to combat.

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University students, especially, are extremely susceptible to suffer from episodes of depression. Many of them are away from home for the first time, they may feel themselves unable to fit in, and also may be weighed down by their many responsibilities. On top of it all, they may find themselves so busy they don’t notice their mood changes until its too late to easily fix or they be be worried about the stigma associated with antidepressants.

A very simple solution to all this are antidepressants: they are proven to be extremely successful and have revolutionized the treatment of depression. The only problem is that they don’t have the same effect on everyone and some people may experience harsh side effects while other’s may feel no change at all.

So what can we do to fight this without suffering from various side-effects? Here comes nature’s very own Prozac: St. John’s Wort.

What is it?

St. John’s Wort is a natural herb commonly used to treat depression and various other conditions that go along with depression such as anxiety, tiredness and loss of sleep. Also known as Hypericum perforatum, the yellow flowering tops of this plant have been used for centuries to treat a variety of “nervous conditions” and its use has even been dated back to the ancient Greeks!

Retrieved from WikiMedia Commons by Anne Burgess

Does it really work?

Well yes, and no. There is strong scientific evidence from clinical research that shows that it is effective for treating mild to moderate depression, while some studies, such as one founded by the National Institute of Mental Health, have not shown the relationship.

In one study conducted, taking St. John’s Wort consistently was shown to reduce symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness, exhaustion and poor sleep. Also another benefit to taking St. John’s Wort is that it  is free of many side effects that are common to antidepressants such as allergy, fatigue, and sensitivity to light.

Video uploaded by iHealthTube on youtube.

When it comes down to it,  it is a personal choice on what method of action you’re going to use to treat your depression. There are studies currently being conducted on the true effectiveness of it, so until then, the choice lies in your hands!

-Narissa Mawji