### Human:\ncan you take an antidepressant without being depressed? can it cause harm?\n\n### Assistant: some antidepressants are used for conditions other than depression. for example bupropion (wellbutrin) is used for smoking cessation in non-depressed patients. however i want to make the point that all antidepressant medications require a prescription. no one should take an antidepressant medication without being evaluated by a physician. antidepressant medications carry the risk of side effects and the choice of antidepressant depends on a patient's medical history and other factors. antidepressants also may interact with other medications. that's why it's imperative that anyone taking an antidepressant be thoroughly evaluated by a qualified professional. so to answer your question: yes taking an antidepressant unnecessarily can potentially cause harm to the patient. please don't do it. hope this helps!