Wellbutrin for Bipolar Conditions
Wellbutrin, while primarily used as an antidepressant, can also be utilized in the treatment of bipolar conditions. It's important to note that its use should be under the supervision of a healthcare professional. This is due to the potential risk of inducing mania or hypomania in some individuals. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new medication.
What Is Wellbutrin?
Wellbutrin, which is also known under its generic name bupropion, is a prescription medication. Bupropion is the active ingredient in Wellbutrin, making the drug effective [1].
Wellbutrin belongs to the group of drugs called norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake blockers [1]. Wellbutrin is available in two forms: as Wellbutrin sustained-release (SR) and Wellbutrin extended-release (XL). The drug is in the form of tablets that are swallowed.
Primarily, it is used to treat mental health conditions like major depressive disorder or to prevent seasonal affective disorder [1, 2, 3]. In general, it is usually taken once or twice per day [1, 4].
Can Wellbutrin Be Used For Bipolar Conditions?
Wellbutrin as a selective norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitor has been suggested for the treatment of bipolar conditions, in particular bipolar depression.
It is not only becuase it is effective, but also because it carries a lower risk of inducing a switch to hypomania or mania in patients suffering from bipolar depression [5].
For instance, in a study involving 13 patients with severe bipolar depression, bupropion was used as an add-on drug to other antidepressants and mood stabilizers. The results of this study showed that 8 out of 13 patients experienced more than 50% reduction in their Montgomery-Asberg depression scale ratings within four weeks [5]. This scale is used to evaluate the severity of depressive episodes in patients with depressive disorders. In this study, it was suggested that the use of Wellbutrin carries a lower risk of inducing hypomania or mania in these patients.
However, another study involving 11 patients reported that 6 patients experienced manic or hypomanic episodes that necessitated the discontinuation of bupropion [6]. Hence it needs to be considered and the use of Wellbutrin should be done only under careful medical supervision.
However, it's important to note that the use of bupropion in treating bipolar disorders is not without risks. In another study involving 11 patients with bipolar disorders, six experienced manic or hypomanic episodes that necessitated the discontinuation of bupropion [6]. It's also worth noting that the effectiveness of Wellbutrin can vary among individuals, and it may not be the best treatment option for everyone.
Find out why doctors prescribe Wellbutrin and Lexapro together.
What Is The Difference Between Bipolar Disorder And Bipolar Depression?
In the sections above, I explained that Wellbutrin has been used for patients with bipolar depression. But what is it and what is the difference between bipolar depression and bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder and bipolar depression are two related but also distinct conditions. Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings. It involved episodes of depression, or low mood and mania, or high mood. These mood swings can severely interfere with daily life and may even lead to hospitalization. Typically, patients with bipolar disorder can function well if they have an appropriate treatment [7].
On the other hand, bipolar depression only refers to the depressive phase of bipolar disorder. Individuals going through this phase experience symptoms of deep sadness, hopelessness, and lack of interest in activities they once enjoyed and they may feel like they don’t have enough energy. In addition, we can observe changes in sleep, appetite and feelings of worthlessness in these patients. However, not everyone who has bipolar disorder experiences bipolar depression [8]
Bipolar depression refers to the depressive phase of bipolar disorder. During this phase, individuals may experience symptoms such as deep sadness, hopelessness, loss of energy, lack of interest in activities they once enjoyed, changes in sleep and appetite, feelings of worthlessness, and difficulty concentrating. Not everyone with bipolar disorder experiences major depressive episodes, but many do [8].
Therefore, the major difference between bipolar disorder and bipolar depression is in the presence of manic episodes. While in bipolar disorder, the patient experiences both depressive and manic episodes in dipolar depression the patient lacks the manic episodes. It's important to note that while bipolar disorder can cause a depressed mood, the mood states in bipolar disorder can fluctuate between "up" (mania) and "down" (depression). With bipolar depression, the mood remains "down" until treatment is received [8]. If you are interested in learning more about this, read our blog post about bipolar disorder and depression.