For an OCD patient, what is an effective behavioral strategy?

• A. Schedule time for compulsions and structure routines.
• B. Encourage unlimited compulsions to reduce anxiety.
• C. Ignore symptoms.
• D. Punish compulsions.

Answer: (A)

Scheduling a fixed time for rituals and structuring daily routines is an effective behavioral strategy for OCD because it contains the urge to ritualize and pairs exposure with response prevention in a practical, controllable way. By designating a specific window for performing compulsions, the person learns to tolerate anxiety and gradually reduces the time spent on rituals. This mirrors key CBT approaches for OCD, where the goal is to minimize ritual behavior and improve distress tolerance, leading to a slower, lasting decrease in symptoms as the anxiety habituates.

Allowing unlimited compulsions would reinforce the behavior and keep the cycle going. Ignoring symptoms misses an opportunity to intervene and reduce distress, and punitive approaches are unhelpful and harmful.