If you are struggling with depression or anxiety, it’s best to seek out mental health treatment, such as therapy and counseling sessions. It’s important to commit to attending therapy on an ongoing basis so you can work through various issues, address mental health symptoms, and work through problems together. Wellbutrin withdrawal occurs when you suddenly stop taking your medication. You may experience withdrawal symptoms like brain zaps, insomnia, suicidal ideation, vomiting, dizziness, and tremors. The best way to prevent Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms is to talk to your doctor about creating a tapering schedule.
Medical antidepressant withdrawal, such as the discontinuation of Wellbutrin, may become necessary for a range of considerations. All information provided in featured rehab listings is verified by the facility officials. The details are kept up to date to help people with addiction treatment needs get the most full and precise facts about the rehabilitation facility. To find another treatment program, browse the top-rated addiction treatment facilities in each state by visiting our homepage, or by viewing the SAMHSA Treatment Services Locator. The helpline at AddictionResource.net is available 24/7 to discuss the treatment needs of yourself or a loved one.
Wellbutrin is a branded form of bupropion, a popular antidepressant that can also help with other conditions like anxiety, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. No, it’s not advised to stop taking Wellbutrin cold turkey (stopping abruptly from your full dosage rather than tapering down your dosage gradually). There’s no way to know how your body will react, so even if you know someone who has done this and didn’t have complications, it’s not safe to take the gamble.
How Long Does Wellbutrin Withdrawal Last?
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. The safest way to stop taking Wellbutrin is to slowly reduce your dose 7, a process called tapering. Tapering helps your body adjust to having less of the medication and can prevent withdrawal symptoms. Wellbutrin tapering schedules are usually short, often lasting one to two weeks. Wellbutrin is a common antidepressant used to manage major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder.
They can help you manage withdrawal symptoms and adjust your treatment plan if needed. 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. If you are experiencing Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms after stopping this antidepressant, make sure you alert your therapist or doctor so they can support you during this uncomfortable time. Therapy can help you process trauma, shift patterns, learn coping skills, and even improve your odds of getting off medication successfully.
2 Like many medications, your body can become used to Wellbutrin over time. Stopping Wellbutrin how can i wean myself off of wellbutrin cold turkey or reducing your dosage too quickly, you might experience withdrawal symptoms. This happens because your brain and body have adjusted to the medication’s effects, and when it’s no longer present, they need time to readjust. Addiction Resource is an educational platform for sharing and disseminating information about addiction and substance abuse recovery centers. Addiction Resource is not a healthcare provider, nor does it claim to offer sound medical advice to anyone. Addiction Resource does not favor or support any specific recovery center, nor do we claim to ensure the quality, validity, or effectiveness of any particular treatment center.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Although Bupropion shares structural and pharmacologic similarities with amphetamine, it was initially believed to lack psychostimulant effects. Nevertheless, clinical observations and a growing number of case reports indicate instances of Bupropion abuse. ADHD, a common neurobiological condition, features behavioral and cognitive symptoms like inattention, impulsivity, and/or excessive activity. It often comes with psychiatric comorbidities and links to educational and occupational underachievement. You, nor your loved one, are under any obligation to commit to a Treatment X treatment program when calling the helpline. We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies.
Wellbutrin Withdrawal Timeline
- If Wellbutrin didn’t help, work with your doctor to find a different medication or combination of medications that might be more effective.
- “There are times where physicians won’t bring it up, and there are other times that maybe patients are nervous to,” Dustin Z. DeYoung, MD a psychiatrist at UCLA Health, tells SELF.
- Or maybe you’re just curious about what the game plan is for coming off your antidepressants, but you don’t know how to raise it with your doctor.
- People refer to Wellbutrin as “poor man’s cocaine” due to its stimulant-like effects and high.6 And chronic Wellbutrin abuse can lead to more severe physiological dependence and subsequent withdrawal.
The risk of overdose is heightened when exceeding prescribed dosages, combining Bupropion with other substances, or in individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. Bupropion is approved as an antidepressant, offering an alternative for individuals with MDD. It works by inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain.
Wellbutrin (Bupropion) Withdrawal
Curiously, Zyban is primarily approved for quitting smoking, but Wellbutrin, with exactly the same molecular structure, is not approved for use in quitting smoking. Of course it’s always a good idea to taper off, rather than stop suddenly. Antidepressants are among the top three most commonly prescribed medications in the United States.
Please note that all the above estimated times can vary according to an individual’s general health, dosage, and other factors. Should a protracted withdrawal develop, be sure to enlist a professional to help you who is familiar with Wellbutrin alternatives and withdrawal management. Our fun & effective California and Florida treatment programs are evidence-based and covered by most major insurance providers, with expert staff and a great alumni and aftercare program. This page explores what to expect during withdrawal from Wellbutrin, how long symptoms might last, and ways to manage Wellbutrin discontinuation. You will also learn how to get effective and compassionate treatment for prescription drug addiction. During your taper, it’s essential to stay tuned into how you’re feeling.
There are a handful of case reports about people chopping their bupropion XL in half and having a seizure. If that’s true, the risk would be higher with the SR version, suggesting that one should not cut an SR in half either. Most people will be using the 150 mg XL version at either 1, 2 or 3 pills per morning.
When individuals misuse or abuse Wellbutrin, they may develop a dependence on the drug, leading to Bupropion withdrawal symptoms upon cessation. Yet approximately 20% of patients experience Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms when abruptly ceasing or significantly reducing the dosage of an antidepressant they have been taking continuously for one month. ✔️ Wellbutrin is not known to cause severe or dangerous withdrawal symptoms. However, this may not be true for people who abuse Wellbutrin or take it with other drugs.
If you or anyone you know is undergoing a severe health crisis, call a doctor or 911 immediately. Wellbutrin is one of the most commonly prescribed medications to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. In 2021, over 29 million prescriptions for Wellbutrin were issued in the United States. This type of intensive program isn’t typically needed for managing Wellbutrin withdrawal.
- If symptoms become uncomfortable, reach out to a healthcare provider for support.
- If you or your loved one are suffering from any of these symptoms while using Wellbutrin, you have likely become dependent on the drug.
- Withdrawal symptoms often get better within a few days of restarting Wellbutrin.
- Stopping Wellbutrin may cause certain side effects, also known as withdrawal symptoms.
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. You might be wondering if your doctor should be the one to bring up tapering first. The fact is, some physicians will regularly reevaluate whether a patient should continue their meds or not while others will take a more conservative approach, Dr. DeYoung says. So some psychiatrists and primary care doctors may—as long as you’re doing well and not having side effects—keep renewing your prescription without revisiting the conversation, Dr. DeYoung explains. Addiction Resource does not offer medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Only trained and licensed medical professionals can provide such services.
Who Needs Wellbutrin Detox?
By reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings, it assists individuals in overcoming nicotine dependence. In general, it is recommended to slowly taper antidepressant drugs over at least a few weeks when discontinuing them. This is to prevent, or at the very least decrease the severity of, potential withdrawal symptoms. Wellbutrin Withdrawal varies greatly in severity and duration for different people. The duration of Wellbutrin withdrawal symptoms depends on how long the medication stays in your body, known as its half-life.