In people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, engaging in the compulsion:
A)Increases anxiety
B)Reduces anxiety
C)Neither increases nor decreases anxiety
D)Increases anxiety in the subset of OCD patients with high anxiety sensitivity

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Engaging in the compulsion reduces anxiety in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which reinforces the behavior and perpetuates the cycle of obsessions and compulsions. This is why exposure and response prevention, a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy, is often used to treat OCD, as it helps individuals learn to resist engaging in compulsive behaviors and to tolerate the resulting anxiety.

In People with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Engaging in the Compulsion