treating OCD

• outline the use of one drug for treating ocd?

  antidepressants – SSRIs – prevent the reuptake of serotonin and prolong its activity in the synapse in order to reduce anxiety and normalise the ‘worry circuit’
• ssri treat ODC through preventing reuptake of serotonin in the synapse, tricyclics also prevent reuptake of serotonin and noradrenaline, benzodiazepines prevent reuptake of GABA, increasing likelihood of inhibition
• treating OCD - drug therapy may be combined with CBT - drugs reduce emotional symptoms such as anxiety which allow patients to engage with CBT better
• strength of drug therapy to treating OCD - cost effective and non-disruptive - drugs such as SSRIs are cheap to manufacture. Clients also do not have to worry about attending therapy sessions, they only need to take a pill for their symptoms to improve.
• limitation of drug therapy - serious side effects - side effects can inflict further distress on clients - they may experience blurred vision, indigestion etc - 1 in 100 people will experience a serious side effect such as aggression or heart issues - reducing their quality of life rather than improving it
• Outline the use of drugs in the treatment of ODC

  generally, attempt to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters or the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain.

  SSRIs – prevent the reuptake of serotonin and prolong its activity

  in the synapse in order to reduce anxiety.

  tricyclics – block the transporter mechanism that re-absorbs both serotonin and noradrenaline.
• meta analysis of 17 studies where SSRIs were used to treat OCD - 70% reduction of OCD symptoms compared to a placebo group