Describe and evaluate the biological approach to the treatment of OCD 16 marks
The biological approach to treating OCD aims to use drug therapy to increase the serotonin in an
individual's synapse, therefore reducing OCD symptoms that are linked to a lack of serotonin such as
anxiety. The main drugs used in therapy are a type of antidepressant known as selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors, or SSRI’s. SSRI’s work by blocking the serotonin receptors of the post-synaptic
membrane, therefore increasing the time and amount of serotonin left in the synaptic cleft. A typical
dosage of fluoxetine (the most popular SSRI) is 60mg, and symptoms should begin to be relieved in
around two weeks. There are alternative drugs used in the event that SSRIs do not work: Tricyclics
and SNRIs (selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors). Tricyclics are an older type of antidepressant
that have the same effect on serotonin as SSRIs. The reason they are a backup option is because they
have worse side effects, such as urine retention, constant drowsiness, and blurred vision. SNRIs work
on noradrenaline as well as serotonin, and still work as effectively as SSRIs. Again, they are used as
an alternative due to their detrimental side effects. Drug therapy can be used alongside cognitive
behavioural therapy, to help the patient come to terms with their symptoms while also being
treated for them. The use of CBT alongside drug treatment is the preferred form of treatment for
OCD sufferers.
A strength of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD is that there is research support. This research
was in the form of randomised drugs trials. The aim was to see if the effectiveness of the SSRIs was
better than that of a placebo. Soomro et al found that in a real treatment versus placebo trial, the
patients in the real treatment condition showed significantly better improvements in their symptoms
than the placebo trial in 17 different trials. This is a strength as it shows the effectiveness of drug
therapy for a treatment of OCD.
A weakness of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD is that there are lots of negative side effects.
While SSRIs were produced specifically to reduce the side effects in OCD medication, there are still
some present. Furthermore, if SSRIs are not effective on a patient, then they must resort to
alternative medications that have even more severe side effects than the SSRIs. Some examples of
these side effects are indigestion, erectile dysfunction, and raised blood pressure. The patient may
feel as if their OCD symptoms are more bearable than their side effects (reducing their suitability),
and so this is a limitation as the drugs may have a high attrition rate, meaning they may be less
effective in the long run.
Another weakness of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD is that they treat the symptoms of OCD
and not the underlying cause. This means that drug therapy is only a temporary solution. The drugs
are an accepted solution by patients due to the decrease in anxiety they get from the drugs,
therefore decreasing symptoms such as obsessions.However, they are never truly being cured of
OCD itself. For this reason, using psychological treatments may be more effective in the long term
for the patient. This is a weakness as it shows that drug therapy cannot be used as the sole form of
treatment for OCD.
The biological approach to treating OCD aims to use drug therapy to increase the serotonin in an
individual's synapse, therefore reducing OCD symptoms that are linked to a lack of serotonin such as
anxiety. The main drugs used in therapy are a type of antidepressant known as selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors, or SSRI’s. SSRI’s work by blocking the serotonin receptors of the post-synaptic
membrane, therefore increasing the time and amount of serotonin left in the synaptic cleft. A typical
dosage of fluoxetine (the most popular SSRI) is 60mg, and symptoms should begin to be relieved in
around two weeks. There are alternative drugs used in the event that SSRIs do not work: Tricyclics
and SNRIs (selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors). Tricyclics are an older type of antidepressant
that have the same effect on serotonin as SSRIs. The reason they are a backup option is because they
have worse side effects, such as urine retention, constant drowsiness, and blurred vision. SNRIs work
on noradrenaline as well as serotonin, and still work as effectively as SSRIs. Again, they are used as
an alternative due to their detrimental side effects. Drug therapy can be used alongside cognitive
behavioural therapy, to help the patient come to terms with their symptoms while also being
treated for them. The use of CBT alongside drug treatment is the preferred form of treatment for
OCD sufferers.
A strength of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD is that there is research support. This research
was in the form of randomised drugs trials. The aim was to see if the effectiveness of the SSRIs was
better than that of a placebo. Soomro et al found that in a real treatment versus placebo trial, the
patients in the real treatment condition showed significantly better improvements in their symptoms
than the placebo trial in 17 different trials. This is a strength as it shows the effectiveness of drug
therapy for a treatment of OCD.
A weakness of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD is that there are lots of negative side effects.
While SSRIs were produced specifically to reduce the side effects in OCD medication, there are still
some present. Furthermore, if SSRIs are not effective on a patient, then they must resort to
alternative medications that have even more severe side effects than the SSRIs. Some examples of
these side effects are indigestion, erectile dysfunction, and raised blood pressure. The patient may
feel as if their OCD symptoms are more bearable than their side effects (reducing their suitability),
and so this is a limitation as the drugs may have a high attrition rate, meaning they may be less
effective in the long run.
Another weakness of drug therapy as a treatment for OCD is that they treat the symptoms of OCD
and not the underlying cause. This means that drug therapy is only a temporary solution. The drugs
are an accepted solution by patients due to the decrease in anxiety they get from the drugs,
therefore decreasing symptoms such as obsessions.However, they are never truly being cured of
OCD itself. For this reason, using psychological treatments may be more effective in the long term
for the patient. This is a weakness as it shows that drug therapy cannot be used as the sole form of
treatment for OCD.
