the biological approach to treating OCD

• What are SSRIs commonly used for?

  To reduce anxiety associated with OCD
• How do SSRIs work in the brain?

  They block the reuptake of serotonin

  
• What did Soomro et al. (2008) find about SSRIs?

  They are more effective than placebos for OCD
• What is the duration of most studies on SSRIs?

  3-4 months
• What happens to patients when SSRIs are stopped?

  Many patients relapse within a few weeks
• What is the effect of increasing serotonin in the brain's worry circuit?

  It may normalize the circuit
• Why are drug therapies preferred over other treatments?

  They require little input from the user
• What type of drugs are benzodiazepines?

  Anti-anxiety drugs
• How do benzodiazepines affect GABA?

  They enhance the activity of GABA
• What is the effect of benzodiazepines on neurons?

  They make it harder for neurons to be stimulated
• What do tricyclic antidepressants block?

  The transporter mechanism for neurotransmitters
• What are common side effects of SSRIs?

  Headache and insomnia
• How do tricyclics compare to SSRIs in terms of side effects?

  Tricyclics have more severe side effects
• What severe side effects can tricyclics cause?

  Hallucinations and irregular heartbeat
• Why are benzodiazepines considered addictive?

  They can lead to dependency with prolonged use
• What is the maximum duration for using SSRIs?

  4 weeks
• What are the main drug therapies for treating OCD?

  • SSRIs (e.g., Prozac)
  • Benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium)
  • Tricyclic antidepressants
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of drug therapies compared to psychological therapies?

  Benefits:

  • Require little user effort
  • Less time-consuming
  • Economical for health services

  
  

  Drawbacks:

  • Side effects
  • Potential for addiction
  • Short-term effectiveness