THE BIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO TREATING OCD

~SSRI’S (SELECTIVE SEROTONIN RE-UPTAKE INHIBITOR)~

  • Serotonin sent by the brain to neurons who communicate chemically across the synapse from a pre-synaptic neuron to a post-synaptic neuron

  • Any leftover serotonin is sent back to the pre-synaptic neuron, where it is broken down and reused

  • By preventing the reabsorption and breakdown, SSRI’S effectively increase levels of serotonin in the synapse which will continue to stimulate the post-synaptic neuron

  • Can take up to 3-4 months for SSRI’S to have an impact on symptoms

~COMBINING SSRI‘S WITH OTHER TREATMENTS~

  • Drugs are often used alongside CBT to test OCD

  • The drugs reduce a person’s emotional symptoms, such as feeling anxious or depressed - meaning that they can engage more effectively with the CBT

OTHER DRUGS USED:

Tricyclics:

  • Type of antidepressant

  • Has the same effect as SSRI’s

  • Has more side effects than SSRI’s

  • Generally reserved for people who do not respond to SSRI’s

Selective Noradrenaline Re-Uptake Inhibitors (SNRI)

  • Type of antidepressant

  • Second option for people who don’t respond to SSRI’s

  • Increased levels of serotonin and noradrenaline

EVALUATION

Research Support:

→ EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS

  • One strength of drug treatment for OCD is good evidence for its effectiveness.

  • There is clear evidence to show that SSRI’s reduce symptom severity and improve the quality of life for people with OCD.

  • Psychologists found that typically symptoms reduce for around 70% of people taking SSRI’s. For the remaining 30%, most can be helped by either alternative drugs or combinations of drugs with therapies.

  • This means that drugs appear to be helpful for most people with OCD.

  • However, there is some evidence to suggest that even if drug treatments are helpful for most people with OCD, they may not be most effective treatments available.

  • Psychologists carried out a systematic review of outcome studies and concluded that both cognitive and behavioural therapies were more effective than SSRI’s in the treatment of OCD.

  • This means that drugs may not be the optimum treatment for OCD.

→ COST-EFFECTIVE AND NON-DISRUPTIVE

  • A further strength of drugs is that they are cost-effective and non-disruptive to people’s lives.

  • A strength of drug treatments for psychological disorders, is that, in general, they are cheap compared to psychological treatments.

  • Using drugs to treat OCD is therefore effective for the NHS and represents a good use of limited funds. Furthermore, it also doesn’t take long to take a drug, so it doesn’t particularly disrupt people’s everyday lives, compared to the time required to attend a therapy session.

  • This means that drugs are popular with many people with OCD and their doctors.

Conflicting Evidence

→ SERIOUS SIDE-EFFECTS

  • One limitation of drug treatments for OCD is that the drugs can have serious side-effects.

  • Some side-effects of SSRI’s include indigestion and blurred vision. These effects are usually temporary, however they can be quite distressing.

  • For those taking tricyclic clomipramine, side effects can be more serious, such as heart problems.

  • This means that some people have a reduced quality of life as a result of taking drugs and may stop taking them altogether, meaning the drugs cease to be effective.