biological approach to treating OCD Flashcards
define drug therapy
treatment involving drugs
(using chemicals that have an effect on the functioning of the brain)
what are the 4 types of drug treatments
- SSRI’s
- SSRI’s + other treatments
- Tricyclics
- SNRI’s
what does SSRI stand for
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
what does SNRI stand for
Serotonin Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors
what type of drugs are SSRI’s
antidepressant drugs
how do SSRI’s help people with OCD
they prevent the reabsorption of serotonin back into the presynaptic neuron so prevent the breakdown of serotonin
SSRI’s increase the levels of serotonin in the synapse which continue to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron
which compensates for whatever is wrong with the serotonin system in ocd
what is the dosage of fluoxetine/Prozac for people with OCD
Fluoxetine/Prozac is usually 20mg
give one name of one SSRI
Fluoxetine/Prozac
give 2 ways SSRI’s can be taken
capsule
liquid
how many months of daily use of SSRI’s can it take for them to have any effect
It can take 3-4 months of daily use for SSRIs to have an impact
explain why combining SRRI’s with other treatments is effective
SSRI’s are usually used in combination with CBT to treat OCD
SSRIs reduce the emotional symptoms such as feeling anxious or depressed, meaning the individual can engage more effectively with the CBT
what can be done if SSRI’s are proving to be ineffective after 3-4 months
if the SSRI’s are ineffective after 3-4 months you should increase the dosage from 20mg to 60mg
what type of drugs are tricyclics
antidepressants
name one type of tricyclics
clomipramine
what do tricyclics do
acts on various bodily systems including the serotonin system where it has the same effect of SSRIS.
