Treatment of ocd

Question 1

What does SSRIS stand for

Answer 1

Selective serotonin re uptake inhibition

Question 2

How do SSRIs work?

Answer 2

Drug therapy works by correcting the unbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. SSRIs block the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin in the brain. This increases serotonin levels in the synapse, meaning serotonin contributes to stimulate the post-synaptic neuron.

Question 3

What are the practices of treatment?

Answer 3

Dosage= 20mg of fluoxetine once a day orally in pill form, it takes around 3-4 months to take action.

Question 4

What are Alternatives to SSRIs

Answer 4

SNRIs - increase the levels of serotonin and noradrenaline

Tricyclics- They have the same effects on the serotonin system as SSRIS but the side effects are more severe.

Question 5

What are the side effects of SSRIs?and why is this an issue ?

Answer 5

Ingestion, blurred vision , aggression, weight gain, loss of sex drive.
People are less willing to take them and their OCD symptoms will return. this reduces the effectiveness of the treatment.

Question 6

What is the research support?

Answer 6

Soomro et al 2009 reviewed 17 studies of SSRIs, he found better outcomes following SSRIs rather than placebos. Typically OCD symptoms reduced far around 70% of people taking SSRIs. This shows that SSRIs could be significantly better than placebos at reducing OCD symptoms, strengthening their value as a treatment.