Other treatments

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St John's Wort (hypericum)

This is a herbal antidepressant that you can buy from pharmacies without a prescription. It recently became a popular 'over the counter' treatment for depression. However, many doctors now do not advise that you take this because.

It is not clear how well it works. Although some studies suggest that it may help depression, other studies have failed to confirm this.
Side-effects sometimes occur. (Some people think that because St John's wort is 'natural' then it is totally safe. This is not true. It contains many chemicals which sometimes cause problems.)
It may react with other drugs that you may take. Sometimes the reactions can cause serious problems. For example, you should not take St John's wort if you are taking warfarin, oral contraceptives, cyclosporin, anticonvulsants, digoxin, theophylline, or some anti-HIV drugs. Also, you should not take it at the same time as some prescribed antidepressants.

Specialist and hospital based treatments

Other treatments such as specialist drugs or electrical treatment (ECT) may be advised if you have severe depression that has not improved with other treatments.