Bupropion vs Escitalopram for mood
Short answer: For mood, more users report improvement with Escitalopram — 80% of 44 reports, versus 70% of 172 for Bupropion.
Bupropion has 411 meta-analyses and 617 randomized trials on PubMed; Escitalopram has 219 and 659.
Based on 444 reports about Bupropion and 135 about Escitalopram. Not medical advice.
| Bupropion Medication | Escitalopram Medication | |
|---|---|---|
| Users say it helped | 41%helped271 reports · high confidence | 41%helped82 reports · medium confidence |
| Verdict | Mixed | Mixed |
| Research | AResearch: Strong | AResearch: Strong |
| Meta-analyses / RCTs | 411 / 617 | 219 / 659 |
| Mainly used for | ||
| Mood % reporting improvement | 70% (172) | 80% (44) |
| Anxiety % reporting improvement | 15% (34) | 83% (41) |
| Focus % reporting improvement | 71% (62) | 25% (4) |
| Energy % reporting improvement | 81% (57) | 33% (6) |
| Libido % reporting improvement | 76% (34) | 20% (10) |
| Common side effects | anxiety, insomnia, irritability, tinnitus | emotional blunting, withdrawal, fatigue, sexual dysfunction |
| Typical dose reported | Not listed | Not listed |
Our findings represent the most comprehensive available evidence base to inform patients, families, clinicians, guideline developers, and policymakers on the choice of ADHD medications across age groups. Taking into account both efficacy and safety, evidence from this meta-analysis supports methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults, as preferred first-choice medications for the short-term treatment of ADHD. New research should be funded urgently to assess long-term effects of these drugs.
Lancet Psychiatry, 2018 ↗“It really helped. I went from being suicidal to having hope and motivation within 3 days of starting the medication.”
All antidepressants were more efficacious than placebo in adults with major depressive disorder. Smaller differences between active drugs were found when placebo-controlled trials were included in the analysis, whereas there was more variability in efficacy and acceptability in head-to-head trials. These results should serve evidence-based practice and inform patients, physicians, guideline developers, and policy makers on the relative merits of the different antidepressants.
Lancet, 2018 ↗“Escitalopram is what makes me feel normal, i react to it very quickly too, but it seems to induce hypomania on first days of intake. Brings me back confidence, ambition, motivation, energy, relieves anxiety, kicks depression.”
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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate