# Wellbutrin

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/wellbutrin/

6 people recommended Wellbutrin in Hacker News comments and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 6 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

These are opinions from Hacker News comments, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor.

**Verdict:** People recommend Wellbutrin for low motivation, seasonal depression, and quitting smoking, with few long-term health concerns. Critics say it lacks the effect of a stimulant.

Summary written by Claude from 9 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Helps motivation and seasonal depression (2 comments in the sample): "if you have a global sense of low motivation and want to raise that general baseline, Wellbutrin is awesome" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49413807)) "it improved my seasonal depression and motivation significantly" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49517510))
- Works well, better than before (2 comments in the sample): "Works great, even better than before." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46809196)) "Wellbutrin worked for me." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49819163))

## What people warn about

- Weaker than real stimulants (2 comments in the sample): "there is just no comparison to what a moderate dose of a real stimulant does" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49394032)) "it just doesn't have the same efficacy" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49382973))

## Other antidepressants people recommend

- [Prozac](https://hackerapproved.com/p/prozac/): 10 recommend, 2 mixed, 28 criticize
- [Ketamine](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ketamine/): 8 recommend, 4 mixed, 5 criticize
- [Bupropion](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bupropion/): 8 recommend, 4 mixed, 3 criticize
- [Lexapro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lexapro/): 8 recommend, 0 mixed, 3 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Wellbutrin", https://hackerapproved.com/p/wellbutrin/ (6 recommend, 0 mixed, 2 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.