Biological approach to treating OCD

• Drug therapy

  = For mental disorders aims to increase or decreases levels of neurotransmitters in the brain or increase/decrease their activity.

  • Drugs that treat OCD work in various ways to increase the level of serotonin in the brain.
• SSRI

  = Medical treatment used to tackle symptoms of OCD involves a particular type of antidepressant drug called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

  • SSRI work on the serotonin system in the brain.
  • by preventing the reabsorption and breakdown, SSRI effectively increase the levels of serotonin in the synapse and so continue to stimulate the postsynaptic neurone.
• Combining SSRI with other treatment

  Drugs are often used alongside cognitive behaviour therapy to treat OCD.

  • Drugs reduce a persons emotional symptoms (anxiety, depression) so people with OCD can engage more effectively with CBT.
  • In practice some respond best to CBT alone and others when SSRI is used as well.
• Alternatives to SSRI

  If SSRI isn't effective after 3-4 months the dose can be increased or combined with other drugs.

  • People respond very differently to different drugs
  • Tricyclics= acts on various systems (serotonin)
  • Clomipramine has more severe side effects than SSRI so kept in reserve.
  • SNRI= for those who don't respond to SSRI, they increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline.
• Evaluation- evidence of effectiveness

  Evidence to show that SSRI reduce symptom severity and improve quality of life for those with OCD.

  • Soomro reviewed 17 studies that compared SSRI to placebos- all 17 showed significantly better outcomes for SSRI than placebo conditions.
  • Symptoms reduce for 70% of SSRI group and for remaining 30% most can be helped by alternative drugs and therapies.
  • So drug was most useful.
• Evaluation- counterpoint

  Drugs may not be an effective treatment

  • Skapinakis concluded that both cognitive and behavioural therapies were more effective than SSRI in the treatment of OCD.
• Evaluation- cost effective and non-disruptive

  Drug treatments for psychological disorders are cheap compared to psychological treatments because thousands of tablets can be made in same time as I therapy session.

  • Drugs= good value for public health systems, good use of limited funds.
  • SSRI are non-disruptive= can take until symptoms decline and don't spend time attending therapy sessions.
• Evaluation- serious side effects

  A small minority will get no benefit.

  • Side effects= indigestion, blurred vision. Usually temporary but can be quite distressing for people and for a minority they are long-lasting
  • Clomipramine= more serious and common side effects, 1 in 10 experience weight gain, 1 in 100 become aggressive and have heart related problems.
  • So some have a reduced quality of life, so may stop taking them meaning the drugs cease to be effective.