Therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder aims to express thoughts and impulses in an appropriate way; which therapy is most successful?

• A. Hypnotherapy
• B. Behavioral therapy (most successful)
• C. Psychoanalysis
• D. Pharmacologic therapy

Answer: (B)

Exposure and response prevention, a form of behavioral therapy used in CBT, is the most effective treatment for OCD. It works by gradually exposing a person to feared thoughts, images, or impulses (obsessions) while preventing the usual ritual responses (compulsions). With repeated exposure, the anxiety tied to those thoughts tends to decrease, and the person learns to tolerate intrusive thoughts without acting on them, expressing impulses in a healthier, more adaptive way. This approach has the strongest evidence for success in OCD, outperforming hypnotherapy or psychoanalysis, and is more effective overall than medication alone—though medication can help when used alongside therapy.