Biological Treatment of OCD

• SSRI [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors] antidepressants are used to treat ocd by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain.

  This is done by blocking the serotonin from reuptake, forcing the neuron to produce more.
• SSRIs must be taken daily for 12 weeks to see an improvement
• NSRIs are also used to treat ocd.

  They block both serotonin and noradrealine.
• NSRIs must be taken daily for 6-12 weeks to see an improvement
• Benzodiazapines are an anti anxiety drug sometimes used to treat ocd by slowing down the central nervous system, relaxing the patient
• One weakness of biological treatments for ocd is side effects such as nausea and weight gain
• A weakness for biological treatments for ocd is that they are reductionist, only focusing on the biological aspects and ignoring the psychological ones
• Side effects of

  SSRIs - headaches, insomnia

  NSRIs - hallucinations

  BZs - aggression, memory impairment
• A strength of the biological treatment for ocd is that it takes left effort than seeing a therapist
• A strength of the biological treatment to ocd is that it is more cost effective than therapy
• A weakness off the bio treatment for ocd is that most research into the drugs are funded by the companies that produce them, so there is a publication bias
• When treatment stops, the symptoms of ocd will relapse