Elon Musk slammed with backlash for saying the antidepressant Wellbutrin is 'way worse than Adderall' and 'should be taken of the market'

CEO of Tesla Motors Elon Musk speaks at the Tesla Giga Texas manufacturing "Cyber Rodeo" grand opening party on April 7, 2022 in Austin, Texas.
SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images

Elon Musk tweeted Friday that the antidepressant Wellbutrin "should be taken of the market."
Users who say they benefit from the drug warned against blindly following Musk's medical advice.
"Please consult a license Doctor before you stop your meds," one user tweeted in response.

Elon Musk was hit with pushback after tweeting on Friday that the antidepressant Wellbutrin is "way worse than Adderall" and "should be taken of the market."

"Every time that drug has come up in conversation, someone at the table has a suicide or near suicide story," he added.

In response, some users tweeted stories about how the antidepressant has saved lives, while others said it's irresponsible for the billionaire Tesla CEO to tweet comments that could be interpreted as medical advice by his massive following.

Later, when a user asked if Ritalin is a "good replacement for Adderall and Wellbutrin," Musk wrote: "I have not heard bad things about Ritalin, which is not good to say it's good, just haven't heard bad things about it."

"Please consult a license Doctor before you stop your meds," another user wrote in response. "Elon Musk isn't a doctor."

—Tyler Black, MD (@tylerblack32) April 30, 2022

"For me, I love taking Wellbutrin. It has a lot less side effects than Adderall. The drug has made me less suicidal, not more," another user tweeted. "Talk to a doctor/pharmacist about whatever medication you're taking. They are the ones who can give you answers about what's best for you. Not Elon Musk."

Musk's initial comment was tweeted in response to an excerpt from a 2016 New York Times Magazine feature titled "Generation Adderall," a story about Adderall abuse and withdraw.

"Everyone thinks our present society was caused by social media. I'm wondering whether Adderall plus ubiquitous Google searches have bigger effects," Marc Andreessen, the Silicon Valley investor who originally posted the excerpt to Twitter, wrote.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their own life, get help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations.

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