St. John's Wort and Social Anxiety Disorder

If you suffer from social anxiety disorder (SAD) and are wary of taking traditional medications such as selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), you may wonder whether there are alternative medicines that are equally effective in treating the disorder. One such herbal medicine that has received some attention is St. John’s Wort.

Unfortunately, research to date does not show St. John’s Wort to be effective in treating SAD. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate the production of alternative medicines – so there is no guarantee regarding ingredients or safety. If you do decide to use an herbal supplement such as St. John’s Wort, be sure to read the package insert and consult with a healthcare professional about dosage and potential side effects and medication interactions.