No, abrupt discontinuation can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms such as brain zaps, flu-like symptoms, and intense cravings. Do not stop taking Wellbutrin without first speaking to your doctor. If you need to stop taking Wellbutrin, follow your doctor’s instructions on how to safely stop taking it. They may slowly lower your dose over 6 to 8 weeks to prevent withdrawal symptoms. The American Psychiatric Association recommends that all antidepressants be tapered down to lower the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
If you have been considering the best options for trying to quit bupropion, please read the below summary of information that may help. Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADS), or antidepressant withdrawal, includes all the symptoms people might experience when they stop taking their antidepressants, such as nausea, headaches, or sleep difficulties. All in all, emerging from Wellbutrin addiction, whether from long-term use as recommended by a specialist or just because you have abused the medication, can be a test either way.
Physical Activity
Research suggests that 27% to 86% of people who attempt to stop antidepressants, whether on their own or supervised by a doctor, experience ADS. Doing your physical activity in reasonable amounts is a great strategy. An average of minutes of exercise three to four times a week is good for you. You can start yoga, walking, cycling, swimming, or even some sport you enjoy. Exercise and getting physical movement help release the feel-good emotions in the body.
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. If you experience severe psychological symptoms, persistent physical discomfort, or suicidal ideation, consult your healthcare provider immediately. During your taper, it’s essential to stay tuned into how you’re feeling. Before making any changes to your medication, schedule a conversation with your doctor or psychiatrist. They’ll evaluate your mental health, current dosage, and determine whether tapering is the right step.
Management of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome
Having multiple recurrences of depression—meaning, distinct periods when you’ve experienced daily depression for at least two weeks—suggests your biology or personality is more prone to it, Dr. Siegel says. For every past depressive episode, the likelihood of having another one goes up. So in general, the more severe or debilitating past bouts of depression have been, the riskier it is to go off medication, Dr. Siegel explains.
What is bupropion prescribed to treat?
You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment. Alternative to Meds Center’s programs, based on proven methods, provide the client the opportunity of getting off bupropion (and similar drugs) safely and gently. Your doctor may recommend adjusting your dose every 1 to 4 weeks, slowly reducing it to see how you’re doing. They’ll treat each case on an individual basis and adjust medications according to your specific needs. Many people suffering from an addiction to antidepressants such as Wellbutrin may seek help to return to their happy and healthy life. The Forge Treatment Center is a safe place for such people, where they receive comprehensive treatment and compassionate care throughout their treatment plan.
- 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.
- Higher norepinephrine and dopamine levels for a longer time helps boost the user’s mood, control impulses, improve focus, and overall help reduce the feeling of sadness and depression.
- If you want to know more about how The Forge Recovery Center can help you detox safely from Wellbutrin, please reach out to us today.
- It is essential to keep in mind that Wellbutrin can prove to be a beneficial option for those suffering from depression and other mental conditions that keep them low in enthusiasm.
- Irrespective of whether you have been misusing Wellbutrin or taking it on a prescription as suggested by your physician, your body may have become accustomed to it over long-term consumption.
Information on Wellbutrin (bupropion)
Experienced healthcare professionals commonly recommend gradually tapering off the drug over an extended period to minimize possible withdrawal symptoms. In general, it is best to consult a doctor aware of your medical history before stopping the consumption of Wellbutrin. Unlike SSRIs, bupropion primarily influences brain neurotransmitters, specifically dopamine and norepinephrine—chemical messengers that play a key role in mood regulation and focus. By inhibiting the reuptake of these chemicals, bupropion enhances their levels in the brain, leading to improved mood, increased energy, and reduced nicotine cravings.
- Establishing comprehensive, evidence-based solutions to support individuals affected by substance use disorders on their path to recovery.
- Such reactions, especially if these were intense or lasting over a significant period of time, may lead to trying to quit bupropion.
- Before taking the drug, patients should be made aware of possible side effects and closely watched for signs of misuse, abuse, or addiction when the drug is taken regularly.
Withdrawal symptoms often get better within a few days of restarting Wellbutrin. You may not notice withdrawal symptoms until a few days after stopping Wellbutrin. This may be because the medication can stay in your system for up to about 4 or 5 days after taking your last dose. Did you know that even for the drug manufacturers, the way the drug is purported to work in regards to smoking cessation is unknown? Of particular interest to prospective parents, it is not known if taking bupropion harms the fetus, or if a mother’s breast milk will harm the baby. For patients who also wish to stop smoking, ask us about gentle and concurrent program steps that can help, without relying on prescription medications or nicotine patches, etc., to deal with co-addiction issues.
He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente. He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A.
How To Get Off Bupropion Safely
It is common for patients to try different medicines in different combinations to determine the best possible way to heal their condition. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. How they think you’ve been doing isn’t going to be a deciding factor, he notes, since your experience of your mental health is most important.
More information and recommendations concerning how to get off bupropion safely and gently can be found below, or by calling Alternative to Meds Center directly. Bupropion is currently marketed as Wellbutrin, and as the extended and sustained release versions, Wellbutrin XR and Wellbutrin XL. These brand names for bupropion are FDA approved to treat MDD (major depressive disorder).
Finding the right medication or combination of medications can take several tries. If you were using Wellbutrin to quit smoking, your nicotine cravings might return when you stop taking the drug, but they’re likely to be milder than what you’d experience without having taken the drug. There is much more to learn about the programs delivered at Alternative to Meds Center and what they entail in terms of treatments and therapies that are available to our clients.
The drug starts making them feel much better and boosts their mood. Consistent drug consumption unfortunately makes the brain how to wean off of bupropion and body dependent on it, however. Bupropion, commonly marketed under the brand name Wellbutrin, is a prescription medication primarily used to treat depression and aid in smoking cessation.
