Attaining and Maintaining Wellness in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

This study begins with a Preparatory Phase, wherein all eligible participants (who enter already receiving a SRI) then receive as part of the study up to 25 sessions of Exposure and Ritual Prevention (EX/RP) therapy. At the end of the Preparatory Phase, those who have achieved wellness (mild to minimal symptoms) enter the Study Phase. Those who do not achieve wellness will not continue in the study and are referred for treatment elsewhere. Those who enter the Study Phase continue to receive monthly sessions of EX/RP and are assigned by chance to either continue on their SRI medication or discontinue the SRI gradually over 4-6 weeks as it is replaced with a placebo (sugar pill). The study will compare outcomes six months, including taking blood samples for genetic testing to see whether there are genes that can predict who will or will not benefit from EX/RP. The study tests the effects of adding EX/RP to attaining and maintaining wellness.