How to take St. John's wort for depression

Some days can be more complex than others due to various areas that are part of a person's world such as work, study, family, friendships, love, among others. If you wake up one day and notice that your mood has dropped, it is likely that your mind is full of negative thoughts about the present and the future and an unwillingness to carry out activities everyday. Faced with this hopelessness, the most frequent thing is that concern appears and we try to find solutions, including the use of medicinal plants that act in the body and produce changes in our emotions, thoughts and behaviors. In some mild cases, natural remedies can prevent the person from resorting to drugs that have possible side effects.

In this Psychology-Online article we will provide you with information about how to take St. John's Wort for depression.

Index

1. what is hypericum
2. What dose of St. John's wort to take for depression
3. How long can you take St. John's wort for depression?
4. Is it effective to take St. John's wort for depression?

Hypericum is a medicinal plant used in the treatment of clinical depression. For this reason, it is possible to consider it a natural antidepressant that reduces the effects of this clinical picture. and some doctors may include it in the treatment plan to reduce the intensity of the symptoms.

Some of the main properties of hypericum are:

• acts as a relaxant of the central nervous system.
• Reduces the insomnia.
• Helps combat stress.
• Works like mood stabilizer.
• Collaborates in the healing of bodily wounds.
• Reduces the characteristic symptoms of digestive problems such as gastritis.
• Relieves headaches product of nervous tension.

Although it is true that each person may have a tolerance that varies according to their characteristics, it is possible to establish a logical criterion with respect to the amounts that are supplied. In general terms, the recommended dose ranges from between 0.5 and 1 milligrams daily for a period of time that is between four and eight weeks.

However, it is advisable to correctly administer this amount so that St. John's wort has beneficial effects on the body and, if necessary, gradually increase the dose indicated for each person in order to avoid harmful adverse effects.

In order to avoid harmful effects on the body, it is important to take into account the maximum duration that we can take this natural antidepressant. As we have mentioned above, the recommended limit is eight consecutive weeks.

However, it is necessary to corroborate the side effects that could be present in case there is an excess in the intake of this plant. In the event that any inconvenience occurs after the administration of St. John's wort, it is essential that the person be evaluated by a health professional in order to establish an adequate diagnosis of the problem at hand. treat.

To know if St. John's wort is effective for depression it is necessary to make some distinctions. First of all, the type of depression you want to treat must be taken into account, since its severity can vary from person to person. In this sense, the hypericum It can be effective in the treatment of mild symptomsand moderate depressive pictures, since the changes it causes in the human organism can counteract the most common symptoms.

However, it has been shown that St. John's Wort does not have the same efficacy in treating severe depression involving suicide attempts, eating disorders, organic diseases and/or the presence of other mental health disorders.

Faced with this type of manifestations, it is essential that the person is treated by mental health professionals who work in an interdisciplinary way. This will enable a comprehensive look at the particular situation of the patient. If you want to know more about this aspect, in the following article you will find What is the best medication for depression?.

If you want to test the effects of this natural remedy on the body for yourself, here is a good option for St. John's wort in capsules, although you can also find it in other formats.

This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to take St. John's wort for depression, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.

• Buendia Sanchez, E. (2000). St. John's wort in the treatment of depression. Phytotherapy Magazine, 1 (1), 37-42.
• Cantero Paris, C. (2018). Evidence of the clinical utility of St. John's wort. University of Cantabria, Faculty of Medicine.