Handout: The OCD Cycle

Handout | Visual Aid | Lifespan

OCD Fundamentals

Visually illustrates the cycle through which an intrusive thought, image, feeling, or situation triggers distress; the person responds with a compulsion or avoidance behavior; and temporary relief reinforces the cycle. The graphic provides a concise educational tool for explaining how OCD symptoms are maintained and why resisting compulsions is important.