 [ Symptoms ] can you take an antidepressant without being depressed can it cause harm [ Disease ] 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 is medical history and other factors antidepressants also may interact with other medications that is why it is 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 do not do it hope this helps