OCD Flashcards
What is OCD?
- An anxiety disorder & is characterised by experiencing persistent & instrusive thoughts which occur as obsessions, compulsions or sometimes both
What are obsession and compulsions?
Obsessions:
- Cognitive internal intrusive thoughts
Compulsions:
- Behavioural external repetivtive behaviours
What are the behaviour characterisitcs of OCD?
Compulsions:
They are repetitive and time-consuming, they can stop the person suffering from OCD from continuing their daily life
Avoidance
The person suffering from OCD is likely to try & avoid situations that would cause them to show their compulsions
What are some emotional characterisitcs of OCD?
- Extreme anxiety
- Guilt
- Depression
What are the emotional characterisitcs of OCD?
-Obsessive thoughts: The majority of people suffering from OCD have obsessive thoughts
- Obsessive actions: person suffering from OCD will often have to perform these obsessive actions to allow them to continue with their day
- Excessive anxiety: The sufferer of OCD understands that these thoughts & actions are irrational but they cannot stop them
What are the biological explanations of OCD?
- Candidate genes have been identified that create vulnerability for OCD
- OCD seems to be polygenic - OCD is not caused by one single gene but by a combination of genetic variations that together cause significantly increased vulnerability
- Taylor (2013) found evidence from previous studies that there are up to 230 different genes which may be involved with OCD
- Genes studied in relation to OCD include those involved in action of dopamine & serotonin & both neurotransmitters are believed to have roles in regulating mood
What are the strengths of the biological explanation of OCD?
Strengths:
- A strong evidence base of research, especially within twin studies.
- Nestadt et al. (2010) reviewed evidence that 68% of identical twins will both have OCD compared to 31% of non-identical twins.
- Marini et al (2012) found a person with a family member diagnosed with OCD is around 4 times as likely to develop it as someone without.
What are the limitations of OCD?
- Ignores environmental factors, although twin studies are used as there is a greater genetic link, these twins also share the same environment, which could trigger OCD.
- There is evidence to suggest that identical twins are treated ‘more similar’ in terms of their environment, (e.g. expectations, style of dress, extracurricular activities) than non-identical twins who are treated more as individuals.
What are the Nerual explanations of OCD?
- Serotonin is known to play a role in regulating mood, if a person has low levels of serotonin, the person can have low moods & other mental processes are often affected
- The reduction of serotonin can explain some cases of OCD
- Dopamine levels are thought to be abnormally high in people who suffer from OCD
What are the strengths and weaknesses of neural conncections?
Strengths:
- Antidepressants such as SSRIs, which are used to control levels of serotonin, are seen to be effective in reducing OCD symptoms, which would support the idea of an imbalanced neural network.
Weaknesses:
- Evidence that environmental triggers can play a large role in triggering OCD, one study found over half the participants had suffered a traumatic event & this led to their OCD.
What are the biological drug treatments to help people with OCD?
SSRIS
- The work solely on the neurotransmitter serotonin which is associated with OCD
- They inhibit the re-uptake/ absorption of serotonin, which happens too fast in people with OCD
- By preventing the reabsorption of & breakdown of serotonin, SSRIs effectively increase levels of serotonin in the synapse, which results in the neurotransmitter remaining active in influencing the post-synaptic neuron
- The average time for SSRIs to take effect is 4 months, before they impact on symptoms
What are the alternative drugs of OCD?
- SNRI’s (Serotonin-Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors), these work in a similar way to SSRIs, but as well as increasing levels of serotonin, they also increase another neurotransmitter called noradrenaline
- Tricyclics, is reserved for those that SSRIs do not work for: It is an older antidepressant & has more severe side effects than SSRIs, so is usually only used on those that other drug therapies have not worked
What are the strengths of biological treatments of OCD?
- Evidence of Effectiveness, although drug therapy doesn’t ‘cure’ OCD, it allows for a significant improvement i.n the suffering life, reducing OCD behaviours.
- Drug therapy is cost-effective as they are cheaper than other psychological treatments, which is preferred for health services that have a budget they must adhere to.
- Drug therapy is non-disruptive to people’s lives as they do not have to give up time to attend therapy.
What are the weaknesses of biological treatments of OCD?
- Side-effects: Drug therapies can have potentially serious side effects: With SSRIs, these side effects can include; blurred vision, loss of sexual appetite, irritability, indigestion, and sleep pattern disruption.
- High relapse rates once patients stop taking the drug.
- Simpson (2004) found that 45% of cases in 12 weeks relapsed, compared to only 12% of patients who had CBT. This suggests, that drug therapy does not treat OCD.
