Which disorder is characterized by uncontrollable thoughts leading to repetitive behaviors intended to relieve anxiety?

• A. PTSD
• B. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• C. Panic Disorder
• D. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Answer: (D)

This describes obsessive-compulsive disorder. Obsessions are intrusive, distressing thoughts, images, or urges that repeatedly pop into a person’s mind and trigger anxiety. To relieve that anxiety, the person engages in compulsions—repetitive actions or mental rituals performed in a ritualized way, such as excessive washing, checking, counting, or ordering. The goal is to neutralize the distress caused by the obsessions or to prevent something bad from happening, even though the connection between the ritual and the feared outcome is often irrational. This pattern—obsessive thoughts driving repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety—is what defines obsessive-compulsive disorder. By contrast, PTSD involves trauma-related symptoms, generalized anxiety involves pervasive worry without ritualized compulsions, and panic disorder centers on sudden panic attacks and fear of future attacks. The distinctive link between intrusive thoughts and ritualized behaviors to relieve anxiety makes OCD the best fit.