AO3 - Biological Treatment for OCD

• Research to support the effectiveness of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD was conducted by Soomoro et al. They reviewed 17 studies of the use of SSRI's to treat OCD and found that SSRI's were more effective in reducing symptoms of OCD compared to placebos. Typically, symptoms reduced in around 70% of people taking SSRI's. For the remaining 30%, most can be helped with either alternative drugs or a combination of drugs and psychological therapies. Therefore showing the effectiveness of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD.
• There is some evidence to suggest that even if drug treatments are helpful for most people with OCD they may not be the most effective treatments available. Some psychologists carried out a systematic review of outcome studies and concluded that both cognitive and behavioural therapies were more effective than SSR's in the treatment of OCD. This means that drugs may not be the optimum treatment for OCD.
• One reason drug therapy may be effective is due to the fact that they require little motivation from patients. Patients only have to remember to take their tablet in order to reduce their symptoms of OCD. This may be a better option than CBT to treat OCD as this requires motivation from patients to attend sessions and challenge their irrational thoughts (obsessions). Due to this, some patients may prefer drug therapy as a treatment for OCD, supporting drug therapy as a biological treatment for OCD.

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• Despite drug therapy requiring little motivation from patients, critics are quick to point out that drug therapy may not be an appropriate treatment for everybody as they can cause negative side effects. For example, SSRI's can cause nausea, headaches and insomnia. This is an issue as patients may become distressed from the side effects and may then stop taking their medication due to these negative effects, which can therefore reduce the effectiveness of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD.