Treatments

• How do biological drug treatments work?


  Assumption OCD caused by neurochemical imbalances in brain, work to correct these and reduce symptoms.
• SSRI meaning 


  Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
• How do SSRIs work?


  Prevent reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin on pre-synaptic neuron, increase levels in synapse, serotonin continues to stimulate postsynaptic neuron.
• What do SSRIs treat?


  Emotional symptoms of OCD- depression and anxiety, due to mood enhancing effects of serotonin.
• What happens when SSRI not effective?


  Not effective after 3 to 4 months= increase dosage, from 20mg up to 60mg, or other anti- depressant/ anxiety drugs can be tried.
• SNRIs meaning 


  Serotonin Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors
• How do SNRIs work?


  Anti-depressant, increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline by blocking reabsorption of both neurotransmitters.
• Example of anti-anxiety drugs.

  Benzodiazepines
• How do anti-anxiety drugs work?


  Enhance activity of GABA, slow down central nervous-> produce relaxing effect to tackle anxiety with OCD.
• How is systematic desensitisation used?


  Behavioural therapy used to treat phobias.
• What is created in SD?


  Anxiety hierarchy.
• How is an anxiety hierarchy used?


  List put together by client and therapist related to phobic stimulus, provoke anxiety from most to least frightening.
• How does SD treat phobia?


  Through counterconditioning, involves changing conditioned response to phobia from fear to relaxation via classical conditioning.