Depression Statistics - Don't Be One, Take St. John's Wort

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by: Darrell Miller
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Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 Time: 6:46 AM
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St. John's wort is the most commonly used herbal treatment for depression, but before discussing it let's consider depression and why a herbal treatment should be needed. We shall first discuss depression statistics, and then the common types of depression and what causes them prior to examining the reasons for using St. John's wort in their treatment.

Depression Statistics

• Almost 19 million American adults suffer depression, which is 9.5% of the adult population

• 12.4 million of these cases are women and 6.4 million men

• Depression occurs the same irrespective of earnings, social standing or demographics

• 50 Years ago the average age at onset of depression was 29 - now it is 14.5 years

• Unipolar depression (i.e. excluding bipolar) is the main cause of disability in the USA

• Bipolar disorder (manic depression) is suffered by 2.3 million adults in the USA

• Up to 8.3% adolescents suffer depression in the USA

• Suicide was the main cause of death in American 10-24 year-olds in 1997, 3rd in 2007

• Up to 8.3% American adolescents and 2.5% children suffer depression at any one time

These are depressing statistics! So what causes depression?

Types of Depression

Non-Clinical Depression

Depression can be classed as clinical or non-clinical depending on its severity and cause. For example, somebody depressed because they have just lost their job would be suffering a milder form of non-clinical depression and would not need treatment with anti-depressive drugs.

Perhaps a course of kava kava would be appropriate, since kava acts a bit like alcohol in making people feel more relaxed and better in themselves. St. John's wort would have the effect of increasing their feel-good factor and generally making you feel less pessimistic. More on St. John's wort shortly.

Another cause of non-clinical depression is bereavement. If you lose a loved one you would naturally feel depressed, but eventually the feeling goes and you get back to your old self. You never forget the person you loved, but your life gets back to reasonable normality without you having to go on long term treatment for depression.

Clinical Depression

Clinical depression has a number of causes, including nutritional deficiencies, particularly of the vitamin B complex, diseases, thyroid deficiencies, food allergies, hormonal changes and more. These are also referred to as endogenous depression symptoms because they arise from within your body as opposed to the exogenous symptoms described above.

However, these external sources such as bereavement, job loss and debt can also contribute to clinical depression if they all work together to make you feel in a totally hopeless situation with no way out. Illness and deficiencies such as those above can contribute the situation to leave you with a severe clinical depression - many suffering addictions get such depression, particularly when they have tried to kick their addiction and have failed, and can see no way out and no end to the way they living their lives.

Manic Depressives

Manic depressives suffer what is known as bipolar disorder, where they swing back and forth between a manic, hyperactive state and a deep depression. Its reasons are not completely known, but are believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental, particularly in childhood where any forms of perceived abuse could resolve into manic depression in adulthood.

Causes and Symptoms of Depression

The causes of depression are many, and could be related to genetics, environment when a child, bereavement, job loss and debt, and also dietary and biochemical dysfunctions. It is not the purpose here to dwell on causes since a herbal remedy can do little for the cause, but it can help with the symptoms and their underlying causes.

There are many symptoms of depression and most will exhibit a few of these in their lifetime. However, in order to be diagnosed as clinically depressed you would have to suffer five or more of the list below for a month or more. These are significant symptoms, not those that somebody can 'snap out of', because depression is not voluntary.

• A deep feeling of worthlessness and poor self-regard

• Eating too much or too little and gaining or losing weight because of it.

• Mood swings from being hyperactive to lethargic

• General weariness and lethargy

• Disinterest in any form of work or activity, including family

• Unable to focus on anything or concentrate

• Unable to sleep, or sleeping too often

• Feeling suicidal

If you suffer five or more of these symptoms for at least one month then you are clinically depressed and should seek medical attention. Although most people believe themselves to be depressed now again, such as when they get a hefty bill and don't have the money to pay for it, clinical depression is something further and can even make you seriously feel like killing yourself.

So what can you do if have these symptoms, and is there any remedy other than the anti-depressant pills your doctor will give you? Most people don't like their doctors 'messing with their brains' although that's not the way to consider medication.

What should be considered is the relative effectiveness of each type of medication in comparison with their side effects. Some side effects can be as bad as the symptoms of the depression itself, which is where St. John's wort comes into the picture.

St John's Wort

St. John's wort is a yellow-flowering perennial native to Europe that has been spread to most temperate climates in the world. It is the world's largest used natural anti-depressive treatment. It is used more for this purpose than any other herbal treatment such as kava kava, passion flower or valerian. What is special about St. John's wort that people have used it for centuries?

Chemical analysis has shown the main chemical constituents to be hypericin and hyperforin. Hypericin is a napththodianthrone that inhibits the enzyme monoamine oxidase that has been found to play a part in causing depression. However, it does not work alone, and relies on the synergy with other chemicals contained within the plant - that is one reason why an extract of St. John's wort will work better in alleviating the symptoms of depression that just hypericin alone.

The other major active constituent, hyperforin, is a prenylated phloroglucinol that inhibits the uptake of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. It is a 'reuptake inhibitor', which means is that hyperforin increases the concentration of these three neurotransmitters in the brain and so helps to normalize your emotional balance and also improves your mood. It also improves the levels of available GABA, another neurotransmitter that helps to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.

Side-Effects

The side effects of St. John's wort are considered minor, but it can cause problems with fair-skinned people in strong sunlight due its photoactivity, and should be avoided by pregnant women and nursing mothers just as a precaution. Also avoid it if taking prescription anti-depressants. You are advised to inform your doctor that you are taking any supplement if you are already on medication for your condition.

Other than that it should be safe, so don't become one of the depression statistics: take St. John's wort and you will a great deal better.

About the Author

Fight Depression with St. Johns Wort and other herbs. Try St. johns wort Risk Free at VitaNet®, LLC Vitamin Store. http://vitamins.vitanetonline.com/