Post by Alice on Feb 18, 2013 23:32:12 GMT -5
I've been taking St. John's Wort as an antidepressant for the last few weeks, and it's working very well.
Though I am loath to admit it publicly, in the name of knowledge I share the fact that I've battled depression off and on all my life.
I firmly believe that even chronic depression almost always has its roots in environmental stress rather than congenital defect and that the chemical "imbalances" recorded by the medical establishment are the brain's response to depressing lives, in the same way that events which make us happy cause the release of endorphins, and the artificial administration of endorphins can make us happy with or without the event (that's how opiates works).
This theory is supported by the fact that I only suffer severe depression when I have a reason to be depressed. It's not a random chemical flush, it's an impaired ability to handle stress with a smile. But I digress.
Our own AOZ suggested St. John's Wort to help me out when I had recently reached a point of being almost unable to function. I am still stressed to my wit's end and sliding on the way to a breakdown if I don't change some things soon, but I have lengthy periods of actual enjoyment, and I'm nowhere near hopelessness, I'm just perilously close to telling some people exactly what I think of them and walking out of my current place of employment. I'm more pissed off than depressed.
It took about two weeks to have any noticeable effect, so if you're going to try it, don't give up hope too quickly. I am taking 300 milligram capsules once in the morning and once in the evening (600 mg daily).
Be aware that one of the major side effects of St. John's Wort is light sensitivity. I am already naturally photosensitive, but I've noticed an increase in the phenomenon of late. It's been cloudy a lot here lately, but I do have some trouble seeing on sunny days. The effect should never be so severe that sunglasses won't fix it, so for me at least it isn't really a problem.
May you find what you seek,
Katharine Alice Jones
Though I am loath to admit it publicly, in the name of knowledge I share the fact that I've battled depression off and on all my life.
I firmly believe that even chronic depression almost always has its roots in environmental stress rather than congenital defect and that the chemical "imbalances" recorded by the medical establishment are the brain's response to depressing lives, in the same way that events which make us happy cause the release of endorphins, and the artificial administration of endorphins can make us happy with or without the event (that's how opiates works).
This theory is supported by the fact that I only suffer severe depression when I have a reason to be depressed. It's not a random chemical flush, it's an impaired ability to handle stress with a smile. But I digress.
Our own AOZ suggested St. John's Wort to help me out when I had recently reached a point of being almost unable to function. I am still stressed to my wit's end and sliding on the way to a breakdown if I don't change some things soon, but I have lengthy periods of actual enjoyment, and I'm nowhere near hopelessness, I'm just perilously close to telling some people exactly what I think of them and walking out of my current place of employment. I'm more pissed off than depressed.
It took about two weeks to have any noticeable effect, so if you're going to try it, don't give up hope too quickly. I am taking 300 milligram capsules once in the morning and once in the evening (600 mg daily).
Be aware that one of the major side effects of St. John's Wort is light sensitivity. I am already naturally photosensitive, but I've noticed an increase in the phenomenon of late. It's been cloudy a lot here lately, but I do have some trouble seeing on sunny days. The effect should never be so severe that sunglasses won't fix it, so for me at least it isn't really a problem.
May you find what you seek,
Katharine Alice Jones
