Treatments of OCD

Question 1

What are the drugs involved in drug therapy?

Answer 1

1. SSRIs (selective serotonin re uptake inhibitors)
2. Tricyclics
3. SNRIs (serotonin noradrenaline re uptake inhibitors)

Question 2

What is SSRIs?

Answer 2

An antidepressant

Question 3

What is SSRIs affect on levels serotonin?

Answer 3

SSRIs prevents reabsorption of serotonin by the presynaptic neuron, increasing levels of serotonin in the synapse

Question 4

What is a typical does of SSRIs?

Answer 4

A typical dose of SSRI is 20mg

Question 5

Why might the dose of SSRI increase?

Answer 5

It may increase if it is not benefiting the person

Question 6

Describe tricyclics as a drug therapy:

Answer 6

Tricyclics has more severe side effects and is only prescribed for people who do not respond to SSRIs

Question 7

What do SNRIs and when are they used?

Answer 7

Serotonin noradrenaline uptake inhibitors increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline, they are kept in reserve for those not respond to SSRIs

Question 8

What is drug therapy often paired with? Why is it beneficial?

Answer 8

Drug therapy is often paired with CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy). Since drug therapy reduces a person’s emotional characteristics which may help them engage + respond better with CBT

Question 9

What is the strength of the treatment for OCD? (SSRIs)

Answer 9

OCD is an effective treatment as there is evidence to suggest SSRIs do work. In an analysis of 17 studies, Soomro et al (2009) found that SSRIs led to significantly better outcomes than placebo conditions

Question 10

What is a limitation of the treatments of OCD? (cognitive behavioural therapy)

Answer 10

There are counterarguments that start CBT is a more effective than SSRI in the treatment of OCD. Evidently drug therapy ≠ best treatment option for OCD. Additionally, people acknowledge OCD can have range of other causes. Therefore may not be the most appropriate to use drugs when treating case which follow a trauma when psychological therapies may provide the best option

Question 11

What is a strength of the treatments of OCD? (cost)

Answer 11

Drug therapy is cheaper than psychological treatment. Since it’s good value for the NHS they are non - disruptive to people’s lives because it saves people having to attend therapy. This makes it a more appropriate treatment option

Question 12

What is a limitation of the treatments of OCD? (side effects)

Answer 12

Drug therapy may have side effects that reduce quality of life. Examples may include: indigestion, blurred vision, loss of sex drive, heart seizures and weight gain.
For this reason, people may stop taking the tablets, meaning drugs lose their effectiveness