Psychopathology (P1)

• What does OCD stand for?


  Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Drug therapy


  One of the key ways to treat OCD according to the biological approach
• OCD is believed to be caused by

  Low levels of serotonin in the brain
• SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)

  Drugs that work by preventing the reabsorption of serotonin back into the presynaptic neuron to allow more serotonin to flow through into the postsynaptic neuron
• SSRIs


  • Sertraline
  • Fluoxetine
• BZs (benzodiazepines)


  Drugs that enhance the effect of the neurotransmitter GABA which instructs neurons to slow down or completely stop firing thus quieting the brain and reducing anxiety from incomplete compulsions
• There is existing supporting evidence of the effectiveness of drug therapies
• Research from Soomro et al. (2008)


  • Conducted a meta-analysis across 17 studies and found that SSRIs were more effective than the placebo, highlighting their efficacy
  • Only the short-term effectiveness of SSRIs have been studied so we may not know if they work long-term, reducing the validity
• Drug therapies


  • Very cost effective as drug therapy is typically cheaper than CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) therefore its implications on the economy are positive
  • Non-disruptive, meaning that they are more accessible/inclusive of those who lack motivation
• All drugs come with their own side effects, some mild, some severe
• Benzodiazepines


  • Can be addictive hence why doctors usually tell patients to not stop taking their medication abruptly as it causes severe withdrawal symptoms
  • Can also cause memory problems, which is why they should only be used short-term to prevent this from happening
• The balance of evidence suggests that drug therapy is a very effective way to treat OCD due to research by Soomro proving its efficacy and usefulness, but SSRIs and BZs take a while to actually start working with noticeable improvements around the 3-4 months mark of being on your prescribed medication