Wellbutrin is an atypical antidepressant that works differently from other common antidepressants, such as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). This unique mechanism makes it an effective option for patients who do not respond well to SSRIs or who experience unwanted side effects from these medications. Your ideal tapering regimen will depend on factors like your health and mental health, your dosage, how long you’ve been taking bupropion, and more. For this reason, you should work with the doctor who’s prescribing your medication and they can make a plan for you to taper your dosage safely. Bupropion withdrawal is generally less severe than withdrawal from SSRIs or benzodiazepines but can still significantly impact quality of life due to potential side effects and adverse events.
- To learn more about the withdrawal symptoms and side effects of their prescription drugs, check out these additional resources.
- Although Wellbutrin is most commonly used to treat depressive disorders, some people may misuse it in order to get high.
- When you abruptly stop taking it, you may experience Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms, also known as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.
Wellbutrin Withdrawal: Overview, Symptoms & Coping
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Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome: Symptoms, Risk Factors, Prevention
Generally, symptoms begin within a few days after discontinuation and may last for one to two weeks. In some cases, mild symptoms like mood changes or fatigue can persist for a longer period. To comprehend the duration of Wellbutrin® withdrawal symptoms, it’s crucial to consider the medication’s timeline. The timeline for Wellbutrin® withdrawal can vary, but symptoms usually start within 24 hours after the last dose and can last several weeks, depending on individual factors such as dosage and duration of use.
When you take your Wellbutrin as prescribed, you will develop a dependence on the medication. This isn’t concerning and doesn’t mean you are addicted—it’s simply the body’s natural adaptation to the presence of Wellbutrin. When you abruptly stop taking it, you may experience Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms, also known as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. They can create a gradual tapering schedule in which you slowly wean off the medication, which can reduce symptoms and help your body adjust to lower doses. In this cohort study, we identified Veterans with new buprenorphine initiation in 2017–2018 using electronic health record data extracted from the VHA Corporate Data Warehouse (CDW).
Data availability
Lastly, please refer to your physician before making any abrupt changes in your bupropion dosages. Your doctor should be able to guide you through the tapering process as well as provide you with proactive steps to make withdrawal safe and smooth. It’s worth noting that these symptoms can vary in severity, depending on how long you’ve been taking Wellbutrin® , how much you take, and other individual factors. While the severity and duration of Wellbutrin® withdrawal symptoms can vary, they are typically mild and short-lived.
This could involve integrating faith-based community initiatives and targeting treatment-positive social support, as experiences with stigma may prevent Black patients from seeking and remaining in treatment 59,60,61. Steps could also be taken to address program or provider-level barriers to retention, with a focus on rehabilitative rather than punitive treatment approaches 55. Rigid program structure and constraints on patients’ lives may be counterproductive for some patients 48, 58, 62. At the same time, many patients benefit from medication alone, so requiring psychosocial treatments in order to receive medication may be a barrier to MOUD treatment and should be avoided 31. The current study examined buprenorphine treatment retention across 18 months using longitudinal VHA records. We first aimed to describe long-term retention among a large cohort of patients initiating buprenorphine nationwide.
If withdrawal symptoms become severe or unmanageable, it is crucial to seek professional help immediately. Working with your doctor, you can reduce your dose over the course of one or two weeks. In the process, many experience antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, also known as withdrawal. This is a particular risk with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which affect a brain neurotransmitter called serotonin. Like all antidepressants, it offers many potential benefits but doesn’t work for everyone. Withdrawal symptoms of Wellbutrin may include excessive perspiration, digestive problems, insomnia, and others that are outlined in this article.
- Classified as an atypical antidepressant drug, bupropion’s unique mechanism of action makes it a preferred choice for individuals who may not tolerate traditional selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
- It’s important to note that the Wellbutrin withdrawal timeline can vary significantly from person to person.
- The first signs of bupropion withdrawal often include increased irritability, anxiety, headaches, and changes in mood.
- CDW is a national repository of clinical and administrative information that is housed at the VA Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI) and is obtained from the VA electronic medical record system.
We created dichotomous indicators for each service that assessed any use for each quarter, such that they could change in value for each quarter over the course of follow-up. To ensure temporal precedence (i.e., that service receipt preceded discontinuation), we lagged time-varying covariates and service predictors by one quarter in all analyses. That is, individuals were considered exposed in a quarter if they were involved in the service in the prior quarter. For the first quarter of follow-up, individuals were considered exposed if they were engaged with the service in the quarter prior to buprenorphine initiation.
Managing Wellbutrin Withdrawal
If you do experience unpleasant symptoms due to ADS, your doctor or healthcare professional may focus on a treatment plan suitable for you. This can involve addressing your symptoms and providing advice or prescribing medications that can reduce them. The first signs of bupropion withdrawal often include increased irritability, anxiety, headaches, and changes in mood. Some individuals may also notice difficulty sleeping and a general sense of fatigue. For so many, Wellbutrin (or the generic version, bupropion) starts out as a sigh of relief or a glimmer of hope. As an antidepressant that’s prescribed for major depressive disorder and for seasonal affective disorder, it can help you finally feel like yourself again after a long struggle with depression.
Detox Options for Wellbutrin Withdrawal and Addiction
People often experience depressed moods when stopping marijuana because of the way it impacts certain neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers in the brain responsible for mood stability and happiness. Sleep disturbances, which can involve difficulty falling asleep, remaining asleep, or experiencing vivid and unusual dreams, tend to arise quickly after individuals stop using marijuana. Irritability and intense feelings of agitation come and go similarly to anxiety and will peak between days two and six before gradually decreasing.
Long-Term Treatment for Wellbutrin Withdrawal
When the body no longer has the THC it’s come to expect, specific signals and other processes must readjust to functioning without it. Feelings of anger and aggression during marijuana withdrawal can occur one week into withdrawal but usually peak at the two-week mark. By clicking this box you provide express written consent to contact you via SMS no more than 2-4 times/month. While Wellbutrin withdrawal is generally manageable, some situations require professional intervention. It’s important to note that the Wellbutrin withdrawal timeline can vary significantly from person to person. If you want to stop taking your current antidepressant but you don’t mind starting a different one, cross-tapering may be an option for you.
This gives the body the time and space to adjust and recover from the effects of the medication. Gradual tapering means that you’re slowing reducing your intake over a period of time. Wellbutrin is a common antidepressant used to manage major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder. Taking it long-term can lead to physiological dependence, which means you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing this antidepressant medication.
Known also as Welbutrin, Bupropion has been in use since its approval by the FDA in 1985. Since then, a number of physicians have applauded its elevating effects on norepinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain, and users have reported positive responses to the drug in treating does bupropion have withdrawal symptoms depression. However, discontinuing the use of this prescription drug has presented challenges.
