Feeling Very Tired, Paranoid, Anxious, Lonely And Sad. Is St.John's Wort Worth Trying?

Posted on Fri, 8 Nov 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 8 Nov 2013 Answered on

Fri, 29 Nov 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Is St.John's Wort right for me? I feel as though I have been suffering from general anxiety disorder for about 2-3 years now. It seems to come and go but the general symptoms are very apparent. Over the last few days I have been feeling very tired, paranoid, anxious, lonely and sad. I recently found and read up on St.John's Wort. I have never been prescribed an antidepressant or other medication for my anxiety because I never thought it was serious enough for medication. At this point I have had enough of feeling like this and would like to really start trying to feel better. Is St.John's Wort worth trying? How will I know If it is right for me or not? Are there other supplements or tools I can use to help deal with or suppress my anxiety and its symptoms?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (2 hours later)

Brief Answer: You can try St Johns wort Detailed Answer: Hello St Johns wort is a herb which has shown good results for mild depression and anxiety disorders. There is no harm in giving St Johns wort a try. You will know it is working when you start feeling better after a few days, if you continue to feel anxious and depressed then you can discontinue it Anxiety can also be suppressed by using a small dose of anti anxiety drug like alprazolam and a beta blocker. It helps you keep calm and cool. However these two drugs are known to interact with St Johns wort You could also try meditation and yoga. These two non medical tools have helped several people. Half hour of meditation done daily will make you less anxious and you will be calm for the rest of the day. I hope I was of help to you, if you have any further queries please get back to me Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (9 minutes later)

If I am going to begin taking st. XXXXXXX Wort, should I consult my doctor first? Are there any over the counter beta blockers I am able to purchase?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Hello Detailed Answer: You can start taking St Johns Wort, but please consult a doctor if you are on any other medication because St Johns wort is known to cause many drug interactions. There are no over the counter beta blockers, you approach your GP with my suggestion Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (1 hour later)

Thanks Doctor. Right now I feel very scared. Not scared for any particular reason so I assume its from the anxiety. Is there something I can do or take to make me feel better for a short period of time (for example to get to sleep or just to calm down before bed)? Any temporary relief suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (11 hours later)

Brief Answer: Zolpidem Detailed Answer: Hello Thanks for getting back and I am sorry for the short delay in my answer, I was on call at my hospital. Tab Zolpidem taken at night should be a good drug in your case, it causes induction of sleep and maintains it. It has lesser addictive properties than regular benzodiazapines. However I dont think it is available over the counter. You can approach your GP with my suggestion. Beta blockers also helps to calm you down, since its not a sedative it can be used in the morning as well. It helps improve daily performance by reducing some anxiety I hope I was of help Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar