Follow-Up: Before St. John's was so highly touted for depression, it was labled an alternative to ritalin. If your grandson has ADD or ADHD, St. John's may be good for him. I am 24 and have ADD. I was put on and it worked well for a little over a year, but I began to notice side effects such as insomnia, nervousness, major weight loss, and breathlessness along with a rapid heartbeat. I also noticed a severe melancholy coming down off the drug and a resulting need for more to end this feeling. My advice is to get your grandson checked out and consult with a doctor. Avoid Ritalin. The results are short term and the consequences at his age could be even worse (stunted growth). Since using St. John's the ritalin symptoms have subsided. St. John's didn't provide the miraculous change ritalin did at first, but it is helping with my ADD minus the side effects. CC.