How to Treat Obsessive Compulsive Disorder With St. John's Wort

St. John's wort is a common herb that gained fame in the natural health community in the early 1990s as an effective way to treat mild depression. It can be taken as a tea, in a capsule or as a tincture. Its side effects are few and its benefits are many. Best of all, it is readily available in most health food stores. Further, recent studies have shown it is also effective to treat obsessive compulsive disorder. In fact, it is not difficult to treat obsessive compulsive disorder with St. John's wort.

Instructions

• 1

  Take St. John's wort in capsule form to treat obsessive compulsive disorder. While the herb is available in tea or tincture form, studies have shown that using the dried herb in a capsule is the most effective, as it allows the more of the active components of the herb to be available to the body.

• 2

  Take 450 mg of St. John's wort twice a day without food. Having food in your stomach can interfere with the herb's absorption, so be sure to take it at least a half hour before or after meals.

• 3

  Drink a full 8-oz. glass of water when you take your St. John's wort capsule. The water will help soften up the shell of the capsule so it dissolves in your stomach quickly.

• 4

  Be patient while awaiting results from using St. John's wort to treat obsessive compulsive disorder. It takes at least 12 weeks and sometimes more to see any result from the herb. This is because levels of the serotonin boosting properties of St. John's wort need time to build up to useable levels in your system.

• 5

  Be on the lookout for rashes or sensitivity of your eyes to light. These are both common side effects of St. John's wort and if you experience them, you may need to reduce your dose or stop taking it entirely. If you are not sure whether your reaction is severe enough to stop taking the herb, ask your doctor for advice.