Many patients will not want to resort to prescription-strength medications to treat depression. This is completely understandable, as everyone should feel in control of their own treatment plan. St. John’s Wort is an herbal remedy that patients may be able to consider in lieu of an antidepressant, and there have been several studies to suggest it may be effective. However, before starting anything like this, you need to discuss this with your psychiatrist, as even though St. John’s Wort is an herb, it has many drug interactions that need to be accounted for. You should also recognize that if your teenager has been diagnosed with depression and a doctor is actively suggesting antidepressants, then you should consider listening to them. There's nothing wrong with taking an antidepressant.