Treating the anxiety: therapeutic options in obsessive compulsive disorder.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is far more prevalent and frequently more severe than recognized previously. Behavior therapy with exposure and response-prevention has proven effective treatment, as have potent serotonin uptake inhibitors, especially clomipramine, despite a high relapse rate after drug discontinuation. These therapies are complementary and a combination of the two approaches shows great promise in the treatment of OCD.