BIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO TREATING OCD Flashcards
what is the biological approach to treating OCD?
through drug therapy
what does drug therapy for mental disorder aim to do?
increase or decrease the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain
low levels of what are associated with OCD?
serotonin
what does SSRI stand for?
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
what do SSRI’s prevent?
the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the brain
how do SSRI’s increase the levels of seratonin?
increase the levels in the synapse so serotonin continues to stimulate the post-synaptic nerve
what is the typical dosage of an SSRI?
20mg of Fluoxetine, can be increased if not helping the patient
SSRI’s can be combined with..
CBT, drugs to reduce emotional symptoms e.g. anxiety or depression to engage with CBT more effectively
what are 2 alternatives to SSRI’s?
SNRI’s
Tricyclics
what does SNRI’s stand for?
serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
what do SNRI’s do?
the same as SSRI’s but increase levels of noradrenaline
what are tricyclics?
older type of anti-depressant, have same effect on serotonin levels but have greater side effects
who found evidence to support that drug therapy is effective at tackling OCD symptoms?
Soomro et al
how many studies did Soomro et al look at ?
17 studies comparing SSRI’s to placebo’s in treating OCD
what did all 17 studies show about OCD drugs and placebo’s?
that they were significantly better at treating OCD than placebo’s
when is drug therapy most effective according to Soomro?
when combined with CBT
what % of patients taking SSRI’s had reduced symptoms?
70%
what are drugs that is a strength?
cost-effective and non-disruptive
what are drugs cheap in comparison to?
psychological treatments
why do doctors prefer using drug treatment in comparison to treatment therapies?
the patient doesn’t have to engage in hard work of therapy, can take drugs until symptoms stop
however, what may be a better treatment for OCD since drugs and therapy are most effective together?
the diathesis stress model
what is the diathesis stress model?
that genetic vulnerability and stress of experiences can contribute the phobias/ocd/depression
what do drugs come with that is a limitation?
have side effects
what are some side effects of SSRI’s?
indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive
what do the side effects of SSRI’s mean?
people may stop taking the drug because it is doing more harm than good
what is a problem with OCD that mean drugs will not be effective?
can stem from personal trauma
what might those who have OCD from past trauma benefit more from?
psychological therapies
how do the different types of ways OCD can be acquired be a limitation?
means drugs won’t work for everyone as it is not always biologically acquired
