✏️The biological approach to treating OCD
Drug therapy can be used to help people with mental disorders, increasing or decreasing the levels
of neurotransmitters in the brain, or increasing or decreasing their activity. Low levels of serotonin
are associated with OCD, and drugs can work in various ways to increase the level of serotonin in the
brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can prevent to reabsorption and breakdown
of serotonin in the brain. This can increase the level of serotonin in the synapse and would
compensate for whatever is wrong with the serotonin system in OCD. The typical dosage of an SSRI
would be 20mg, however, this can be increased if it isn't working, depending on the person. It can
take 3 or 4 months of daily use for SSRIs to impact the symptoms of a person with OCD, and the
dosage can be increased to 60mg a day if it is appropriate.
Combinations can often be used for a more effective treatment plan. Drug therapy can often be
used alongside cognitive behavioural therapy to help treat OCD. The drugs can reduce symptoms like
anxiety and depression, which in turn makes people more able to engage with CBT. There are some
alternatives to SSRIs, such as tricyclics. These are older types of anti-depressant which are
sometimes used. They have the same effects on the serotonin system, but they have more severe
side effects. More recently a new set of antidepressant drugs called SNRIs have been used to treat
OCD. These are similar to tricyclics, and they are also for people who don't respond well to SSRIs.
A strength of drug therapy is that it has been proven to be effective. One researcher reviewed 17
different studies of SSRIs for treating OCD and found that SSRIs showed better outcomes than a
placebo. OCD symptoms tend to reduce by 70% for people taking SSRIs. This means that drugs can
be very helpful to people with OCD.
However, a counterpoint is that even though drug treatments are better than placebos, they might
not be the best solution out there. Cognitive and behavioural therapies might be more effective,
than SSRIs for people with OCD.
Another strength is that drugs can be cost-effective and non-disruptive. This means that drugs are
much cheaper compared to psychological treatments. Using drugs to treat people is therefore good
value for the NHS. SSRIs are also non-disruptive to people's lives. If you want you can take drugs until
your symptoms decline, rather than taking time out of your day to go to therapy sessions. This
means that many patients and doctors prefer using drug treatments to treat OCD.
A limitation is that drugs can have serious side effects. A very small amount of people who take SSRIs
get no benefit. Many people experience side effects of the drugs such as indigestion and blurred
vision, however, these changes are often temporary. Some side effects can be more serious,
depending on the type of drug taken. Many people can experience erection problems and weight
gain, as well as becoming more aggressive. This means that some people have a reduced quality of
life from drug treatments, and this means that they aren't as effective.
Drug therapy can be used to help people with mental disorders, increasing or decreasing the levels
of neurotransmitters in the brain, or increasing or decreasing their activity. Low levels of serotonin
are associated with OCD, and drugs can work in various ways to increase the level of serotonin in the
brain. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can prevent to reabsorption and breakdown
of serotonin in the brain. This can increase the level of serotonin in the synapse and would
compensate for whatever is wrong with the serotonin system in OCD. The typical dosage of an SSRI
would be 20mg, however, this can be increased if it isn't working, depending on the person. It can
take 3 or 4 months of daily use for SSRIs to impact the symptoms of a person with OCD, and the
dosage can be increased to 60mg a day if it is appropriate.
Combinations can often be used for a more effective treatment plan. Drug therapy can often be
used alongside cognitive behavioural therapy to help treat OCD. The drugs can reduce symptoms like
anxiety and depression, which in turn makes people more able to engage with CBT. There are some
alternatives to SSRIs, such as tricyclics. These are older types of anti-depressant which are
sometimes used. They have the same effects on the serotonin system, but they have more severe
side effects. More recently a new set of antidepressant drugs called SNRIs have been used to treat
OCD. These are similar to tricyclics, and they are also for people who don't respond well to SSRIs.
A strength of drug therapy is that it has been proven to be effective. One researcher reviewed 17
different studies of SSRIs for treating OCD and found that SSRIs showed better outcomes than a
placebo. OCD symptoms tend to reduce by 70% for people taking SSRIs. This means that drugs can
be very helpful to people with OCD.
However, a counterpoint is that even though drug treatments are better than placebos, they might
not be the best solution out there. Cognitive and behavioural therapies might be more effective,
than SSRIs for people with OCD.
Another strength is that drugs can be cost-effective and non-disruptive. This means that drugs are
much cheaper compared to psychological treatments. Using drugs to treat people is therefore good
value for the NHS. SSRIs are also non-disruptive to people's lives. If you want you can take drugs until
your symptoms decline, rather than taking time out of your day to go to therapy sessions. This
means that many patients and doctors prefer using drug treatments to treat OCD.
A limitation is that drugs can have serious side effects. A very small amount of people who take SSRIs
get no benefit. Many people experience side effects of the drugs such as indigestion and blurred
vision, however, these changes are often temporary. Some side effects can be more serious,
depending on the type of drug taken. Many people can experience erection problems and weight
gain, as well as becoming more aggressive. This means that some people have a reduced quality of
life from drug treatments, and this means that they aren't as effective.
