Definition by Carol Hevia, Psy.D., reproduced with permission from International OCD Foundation.
Another word for compulsive behavior, which can be a behavior that others can see, or a hidden or unseen mental behavior. Many mental health professionals will identify anything that reduces one's anxiety as a ritual. For example, although avoidance behavior is done to avoid the trigger altogether, it still is the same as an outright ritual, in that it is an attempt to reduce anxiety.
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