biological approach to treating ocd ao3

Question 1

how is combination therapy a strength of drug therapy

Answer 1

drugs often used alongside cbt to treat ocd. the drugs reduce the patients emotional symptoms, meaning they can engage more effectively with the cbt.

Question 2

how are alternatives to ssris a weakness of drug therapy

Answer 2

when ssris are not effective the dose can go up to 60mg a day or it can be combined with other drugs. sometimes this doesnt work and patients have to take alternative drugs which are more effective (this varies from person to person). tricyclics are an older type of antidepressant and snris (serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors) have been used in the last 5 years to treat ocd

Question 3

how does soomro et al show research support for the effectiveness of ssris

Answer 3

reviewed studies comparing ssris to placebos to treat ocd and concluded that all 17 studies had significantly better results for ssris than the placebo. effectiveness is greatest when combined with cbt

Question 4

how is cost effectiveness a strength of ssris

Answer 4

drug treatments are cheaper than talking therapies therefore good value for the nhs. also non disruptive to everyday lives as they do not interrupt routines

Question 5

how are side effects a weakness of drug therapies

Answer 5

minority will get no benefit and some suffer side effects such as indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive. clomipramine - one in ten patients have erection problems, weight gain and tremors. one in a hundred become aggressive and have disrupted blood pressure and heart rhythm. this reduces effectiveness because people stop taking them