biological approach to treating OCD

• drug therapy 1


  attempt to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters

  SSRIs - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor - antidepressant - work on serotonin thought low serotonin transmission possible cause of OCD - serotonin transmitted message from presynaptic neuron to postsynaptic neuron by crossing synapse neuron by crossing synapse then reabsorbed by presynaptic neuron for re-use - SSRIs prevent reabsorption - more serotonin stays in synapse fro longer, stimulates post synaptic neuron for longer, compensates low transmission in OCD patient, reduces anxiety
• drug therapy 2


  ANTI-ANXIETY DRUGS - Benzodiazepines (BZs) sometimes used to treat anxiety in OCD patients - work by enhancing activity of neurotransmitter GABA - GABA is inhibitory neurotransmitter (nervous systems 'off switches') decreases likelihood of next neuron firing - general quieting effect on brain slowing down CNS, reducing anxiety and causing relaxation
• DRUG EVALUATION - effective


  significantly reduce symptoms of OCD compared to placebos - Soomro found SSRIs significantly more effective than placebos treating OCD - benefited many real peoples lives
• DRUG EVALUATION - cost effective and practical 


  relatively cheap and non disruptive to patients lives - e.g. reduce symptoms without engaging with much of the hard work needed by psychological therapies like CBT - many doctors and patients favour SSRIs for these reasons
• DRUG EVALUATION - beneficial fro economy 


  estimated mental health issues cost English economy around £22.5 billion a year and effective treatments for mental illness could help reduce this - e.g. effective drug therapy might reduce unnecessary healthcare costs on treatments for OCD that don't work and reduce number of days people have off work sick so improving productivity - has economic benefits
• DRUG EVALUATION - side effects


  SSRIs may have unintended negative side effects - e.g. indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive - more harm than good and people may stop taking them
• DRUG EVALUATION - only treat symptoms 


  drugs may be effective in short term by placing chemical mask on symptoms however may not be a lasting cure - e.g. patients normally relapse within a few weeks after medication is stopped (revolving door syndrome) - longer term solutions like CBT may be seen as more appropriate in long term