Wellbutrin is a trade name of the medication bupropion and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 1985 for treating depression. The medication is commonly available in an extended-release version called Wellbutrin SR. Although originally developed for treating depression, Wellbutrin has been found to have good side effects when used for treatment of other health issues too.
Help for Seasonal Affective Disorder
Some people have a condition called seasonal affective disorder, which causes sadness and depression when the days are shorter and there is less sunlight, usually during the fall and winter months. In 2006, Wellbutrin became the first medication approved by the FDA to treat seasonal affective disorder. The medication is usually prescribed from the early fall through the winter, and stopped in the early spring.
Help for ADHD
The website Mentalhealth.net notes that Wellbutrin has been shown to reduce irritability and impulsiveness and improve social skill problems. Buproprion is now used effectively as part of a treatment plan for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
Sexual Dysfunction
Many antidepressant medications have unwanted sexual side effects and cause dysfunction or lack of interest in sex. According to the Cleveland Clinic, medications such as Wellbutrin have the beneficial side effect of little or no sexual dysfunction problems.
Smoking Cessastion
One of the most well-known and positive side effects of Wellbutrin is that it helps people to quit smoking. The Cleveland Clinic notes that buproprion is combined with other therapies such as counseling for helping patients with smoking cessation.
Fewer Side Effects
Antidepressant medications have the potential for a variety of side effects. Some antidepressant medications such as tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors are associated with digestion issues, constipation, blurry vision and cardiac problems. MayoClinic.com states that certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as bupropion are less likely to cause some of the more unwanted depression medication side effects, including weight gain.
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