Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Practical Guide to Exposure and Response Prevention Treatment

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most complex and common anxiety disorders in clinical psychology, characterized by the experience of intrusive, repetitive, and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive or ritualistic behaviors (compulsions). Understanding the nature of this disorder requires that we first understand the difference between normal intrusive thoughts and thoughts that act as obsessions. In people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, these thoughts are intense, repetitive, and accompanied by feelings of guilt or intense fear, forcing them to engage in behaviors to reduce anxiety.