This paper analyzes and synthesizes current literature on the use of St. John's wort in the treatment of depression. This herbal remedy has come under increasing examination as an alternative to anti-depressant medication such as Prozac. St. John's wort has been used extensively in Germany and been studied by the medical community there in sufficient depth to force the American and British medical communities to consider its efficacy. This paper looks at two types of coverage of this growing trend: 10 articles published in medical journals and one published in a business journal, compared with four books focusing on the herb, its background and effectiveness.
While many of the articles focus on evaluating the need for any kind of treatment, all four of the books concentrate on positive case studies, treatment plans, and other examples of enthusiastic acceptance of St. John's wort into the lives of their readers. The books, three of which are written by medical doctors, the fourth by a licensed herbalist, all start with the assumption that taking this herb is a smart choice, while the articles tend to stress the need for a clear professional diagnosis of depression before beginning treatment. This analysis offers an intriguing example of the difference between the mainstream medical community mindset and the movement toward natural remedies, self-diagnosis, and the acceptance of individual responsibility for personal health.
Depression is a serious problem. The mainstream medical community in the United States agrees with the natural health movement in acknowledging that a substantial number of individuals struggle with consistent feelings of sadness, low self-esteem, black moods, and other symptoms that interfere with a more active approach to daily life and are often not caused by specific events in the individual's life.
Diagnosing clinical depression and enumerating its scope, however, appears to be a difficult...