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Summary The biological approach to treating OCD
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Notes on treating OCD
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The biological approach to treating OCDKey terms
- Drug therapy: treatment involving drugs, i.e. chemicals that have a particular effect on
the functioning of the brain or some other body system. In the case of psychological
disorders, such drugs usually affect neurotransmitter levels
Drug therapy
Drug therapy for mental disorders aims to increase or decrease levels of neurotransmitters in
the brain or to increase/decrease their activity
- For example, low levels of serotonin are associated with OCD, and therefore drugs work
in various ways to increase the level of serotonin in the brain
SSRIs
The standard medical treatment used to tackle the symptoms of OCD involves a particular types
of antidepressant drug called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
- SSRIs work on the serotonin system in the brain
- Serotonin is released by certain neurons in the brain; it is released by the presynaptic
neuron and travels across the synapse
- The neurotransmitter chemically conveys the signal from the presynaptic neuron to the
postsynaptic neuron and then it is reabsorbed the the presynaptic neuron where it is
broken down and reused
By preventing the reabsorption and breakdown of serotonin, SSRIs effectively increase its levels
in the synapse and thus continue to stimulate the postsynaptic neuron
- This compensates for whatever is wrong with the serotonin system in OCD
Dosage and other advice vary according to which SSRI is prescribed
- A typical daily dose of Fluoxetine is 20mg, although this may be increased if it is not
benefitting the patient
- It takes three to four months of daily use for SSRIs to have much impact on symptoms
Combining SSRIs with other treatments
Drugs are often used alongside CBT to treat OCD
- The drugs reduce a patient’s emotional symptoms, such as feeling anxious or depressed
- This means that patients can engage more effectively with the CBT
In practice, some people respond best to CBT alone whilst others benefit more from drugs like
Fluoxetine
- Occasionally, other drugs are prescribed alongside SSRIs
Alternatives to SSRIs
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