St. John's Wort, Insomnia, and Depression
By theDeranged
@theDeranged (96)
Canada
November 24, 2010 12:36pm CST
I have always had insomnia. My earliest memory of not being able to sleep, I was about 5 or 6 years old. And it was a regular occurrence. I have also always suffered from an anxiety disorder and depression. These three combined cause a horrid cycle. The anxiety increases depression, which increases fatigue and insomnia, which increases my anxiety, which increases my depression... and so on.
I'll make this story short and get to my point. About a month ago I decided to take myself off sleeping pills, and start looking at homeopathic options. I had been taking Valerian root and melatonin prior to the sleeping pills, so I opted for St. John's Wort. The wort provided immediate relief in regards to my insomnia. Not only was I able to get a half decent night's rest, but I was dreaming again! Something I hadn't done since starting the sleeping pills. Over this past month I hadn't really noticed any other effects other than that.
I ran out two nights ago, and yesterday forgot to get more. I figured, whatever, one night of little sleep won't be a big deal. What a mistake! Aside from getting very little sleep, today I am head-achy, dizzy, and achy all over. Symptoms of fatigue and depression that I forgot I had. I hadn't realized until this morning how much my mood had improved over the last month, as well.
The whole point of this story is: I am wondering if there is any one out there who has tried St. John's Wort with success? Also, what other herbal/homeopathic remedies have people tried with great success when dealing with their insomnia, anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues? I'm afraid my body will habituate to the wort, as bodies do with most substances, and I'll need to try something else. So I'm looking for input and ideas on natural remedies.
1 response
@yetsa76 (55)
•
19 Dec 10
I used to be like that until I ended up with FM. I tried St. Johns Wart which I found out later was banned in France. I felt it did nothing at 1st, taking a while to get into the system, I can't remember the dosage though. After sometime I found there was some improvement in my mood, but nothing as far as sleep is concerned. In the end I didn't really feel that it was helping and so went back onto regular medication. The main reason I stopped it was for the same reason as my Brother. It gave us both Panic Attacks and is the reason it's banned in France. In my mind St. Johns Wart is to be approached with caution. I've found that checking out herbal remedies maybe a good thing before trying.