'Less like a drug than a drug': The use of St John's wort among people who self-identify as having depression and/or anxiety symptoms

Abstract

Objective: St John's wort (SJW) is one of the most commonly used complementary medicines (CM) for the self-treatment of depression which can be accessed with or without health professional advice. While there is evidence to support its effectiveness in depression it has potential for serious side effects and interactions with many pharmaceuticals and herbs. Despite the potential risks, we know little about consumer perspectives on the use of SJW. Our research aimed to understand, from their own perspective, how and why people use SJW for management of self-identified 'depression, stress or worries'. Design: A qualitative design, focusing on understanding the reasons for SJW use. A purposive ..