Treating OCD

Question 1

What is drug therapy?

Answer 1

Treatment involves drugs i.e. chemicals that have a particular effect on the functioning of the brain or some other body system.

Question 2

What do SSRIs do?

Answer 2

SSRIs prevent the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the brain

Question 3

what is the typical dosage of these SSRIs?

Answer 3

The typical dosage of SSRIs Fluoxetine is 20 mg
taken 3-4 months of every use
can be increased to 60mg if appropriate

Question 4

what happens when we combine SSRIs with CBT? How does this help the patient?

Answer 4

Drugs are often used with CBT to treat OCD.
These drugs remove the patient’s emotional symptoms such as feeling anxious or depressed

Question 5

what are the 2 alternatives to SSRI’s?

Answer 5

Tricyclics & SNRI’s

Question 6

What do Tricyclics do?

Answer 6

tricyclics such as clomipramine - have the same effect on the serotonin system as SSRIs but the side effects can be more severe.

Question 7

what does SNRI’S do?

Answer 7

the second line of defense for patients who do not respond to SSRIs
they increase the levels of serotonin as well as noradrenaline