the biological approach into treating OCD

• antidepressants - SSRIs

  • work on the serotonin system in the brain
  • they prevent the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the brain and increase the levels of the synapse and continue to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron
  • antidepressants improve mood and reduce the anxiety experienced by patients with OCD
  • it takes 3-4 months of daily use for SSRIs to have much of an impact on OCD symptoms
• anti-anxiety drugs

  • Bzs (benzodiazapines) are a range of anti-anxiety drugs
  • they work by enhancing the action of neurotransmitter GABA
  • GABA tells neurons in the brain to 'slow down' and 'stop firing' and around 40% of the neurons respond to GABA
  • this means that Bzs have a general quietening influence on the brain and consequently reduce anxiety which is experienced as a result of the obsessive thoughts in common in OCD
• what is a strength of using drug treatments?

  • effective in reducing severity of symptoms
  • research has compared SSRIs to placebo's in the treatment of OCD and has consistently concluded significantly better results for the SSRIs than for the placebo conditions
  • this supports the use of biological treatments, particularly SSRIs. however, studies have been criticised for only short term effectiveness
• what is a strength of drug treatments?

  • they are cheap and non-disruptive
  • it is of good value to the NHS because taking pills is non-disruptive to patients daily lives and does not engage with the hard work of psychological therapy
  • many doctors and patients like drug treatments for these reasons
• what is a limitation of drug treatments?

  • they have side effects
  • eg: indigestion, blurred vision, hallucinations, raised blood pressure, heart failure, addictiveness, increased aggression, LTM impairments
  • for this reason, Bzs are recommended for short term treatment of 4 weeks
  • side effects diminish the effectiveness of drug treatments, as patients will often stop taking medication if they experience them.
• what is a limitation of drug treatments?

  • there is some controversy attached
  • psychologists believe that evidence favouring drug treatments is biased because the research sponsored by drug companies who do not report all of the evidence
  • this suggests drug treatments may not be as effective as research often suggets