St. John's Wort And Depression

St. John's Wort is an herb that grows in the forest around where you live. The herb has been used in cuisine like tortilla chips, teas, and breads. It is in stores like walmart, GNC, and major retailers through the United States even though it's not approved by the FDA. I have used St. John's Wort before...It was from 1996 to 1998 and it did enhance my mood a bit a bit better rather than no effect at all. The herb did however make my skin hypersensitive to the sun and light. It increased freckles on the body very much and made me a bit more libido than other things I have taken.

My problem mostly with depression was generalized anxiety disorder. It's a disorder that makes it difficult to function in an environment. I had health related issues other than generalized anxiety disorder though.

The St. John's Wort plant does come from the mint family. The latin name for the group is hypercium perforum. It grows wild all over the Southeastern United States. The plant has little yellow flowers and a little round seed pod. The seed pod is round and looks like the slices of a tiny pound cake when taken out of the pod. The plant is sensitive too to light. If it is overcast, the blossoms will close up like certain types of sorrel or trifolium. They will open up to it's full peak if it is sunny. The St. John's wort plant likes partial sun. It still needs a bit of shade to grow. The plant can be used in specific ways to help in depression. There are some side effects to the plant.

The plant can cause rashes to some individuals that have sensitivities to herb related products. There is a precaution also for liver damage. I had to quit taking it for this reason by my doctor. She said that it would cause liver damage if I had used it for a long period of time. I was using it persistantly to help with anxiety and depression. The problem with my anxiety and depression was health related. I was not having a premenstrual monthly due to a lack of b-12 and estrogen.  Not having the right nutrients in your body can cause depression.