Clinical guidelines
What the health system recommends
NICE writes the treatment guidance the NHS works from. CG31 is the one covering obsessive-compulsive disorder, and it is where practising instead of avoiding is set out as the first-line approach. The full guideline underneath it carries the mechanics: why practice is graded, and why pushing a thought down brings it back harder. That one is a long PDF, and worth it.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder: treatment
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder: core interventions in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder (full guideline)
National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health