Erowid - Honest Global Drug Information
We're an educational non-profit working to provide a balanced, honest look at
psychoactive drugs and drug use--to reduce harms, improve benefits, & support
reasonable policies. This work is made possible by $10, $50, & $100 donations.
Treating Anxiety and Stress
St. John's Wort (extract)
Citation:   Midnight. "Treating Anxiety and Stress: An Experience with St. John's Wort (extract) (exp68431)". Erowid.org. Jan 27, 2012. erowid.org/exp/68431

 
DOSE:
900 mg oral St. John's Wort (daily)
BODY WEIGHT: 70 kg
Having suffered from light to moderate (occasionally severe) anxiety and stress for nearly two years I ordered St. John's Wort 90 tablets online which I used daily (1-3 tablets) for about 5 weeks. Starting with 2 tablets the first week I didnt notice any effects so I upped the dose to 3 tablets (900mg, recommended maxdose) spread out under the day. This is when I started noticing a significant positive change in mood.

First of all my anxiety was totally gone and I felt free for the first time in a long while. Second I felt extremely relaxed and I was able to take my time when doing things, something my chronic stress made impossible before. Because of my stress and anxiety I had been bothered by heart palpitations (feeling my heart beating strongly), these also disappeared and my pulse became calmer, so calm in fact that I sometimes worried my heart had stopped. I no longer felt my heart pounding like a hammer in my chest. (Blood pressure remained unchanged and normal as well as heartrate.) Another positive effect which I suspect was due to absence of stress and anxiety - a very noticeable increase in my ability to concentrate on one thing at a time.

After about 2-3 weeks taking 3 tablets (300mg each) daily of St. John's Wort it was time to decrease dosage and stop taking it. Today it has been about 2 weeks since taking any and my anxiety/stress has returned, but not as strong as before. For me, this herb really had a positive effect reducing stress and anxiety as well as inducing a calm state of mind and general serenity. I think it worked for me because my anxiety/stress-problems were not severe to begin with. I highly recommend St. John's Wort.

Exp Year: 2006ExpID: 68431
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Jan 27, 2012Views: 17,594
[ View PDF (to print) ] [ View LaTeX (for geeks) ] [ Swap Dark/Light ]
St. John's Wort (142) : Health Benefits (32), Retrospective / Summary (11), Alone (16)

COPYRIGHTS: All reports copyright Erowid.
No AI Training use allowed without written permission.
TERMS OF USE: By accessing this page, you agree not to download, analyze, distill, reuse, digest, or feed into any AI-type system the report data without first contacting Erowid Center and receiving written permission.

Experience Reports are the writings and opinions of the authors who submit them. Some of the activities described are dangerous and/or illegal and none are recommended by Erowid Center.


Experience Vaults Index Full List of Substances Search Submit Report User Settings About Main Psychoactive Vaults