Treating OCD Flashcards
(8 cards)
1
Q
what type of therapy is used to treat OCD?
A
drug therapy which includes increasing or decreasing the level of neurotransmitters in the brain, reducing or increasing their activity
2
Q
what is an example of the drug used to treat OCD?
A
SSRIs
- selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
3
Q
wha is the process of SSRIs?
A
- work on the serotonin system in the brain
- released by presynaptic neurons and travel across synapse they bind to receptors on the post synaptic neuron, covering a chemical message, it is then broken down and reabsorbed back into pre synaptic neuron
- SSRIs block the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin so increases levels of serotonin the the synapse
- see improvement in symptoms in 3 to 4 months
4
Q
what techniques can be combined with SSRIs?
A
- cognitive behaviour therapy = reduce a person’s symptoms
5
Q
what are some alternatives to SSRI’s?
A
- tricyclics and SNRIs
- tricyclics = same effect as SSSI’s but produce more severe symptoms
- SNRI’s = works to increase levels of serotonin and noradrenaline
6
Q
what is a strength of treating OCD?
A
- research support
- Soomro et al - evidence that SSRI’s reduce symptoms and improve quality of life
- assessed 17 studies which compared SSRI’s to placebo’s and found the 70% of people taking SSRI’s have experienced improvements in symptoms
- 30% improved with alternative drugs. combination of drugs or psychological therapies
7
Q
what is a weakness of treating OCD?
A
- serious side effects
- indigestion, blurred vision and loss of sex drive
- e.g. tricyclic clomipramine side effects are more common
= 1 in 10 people experience weight gain and erection problems
= 1 in 100 people became aggressive and heart related problems
8
Q
what is another strength of treating OCD?
A
- non disruptive and cost effective
- treating psychological disorders with drugs is generally more cheaper than psychological therapies as many tablets can be formed
