A patient diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) continually carries a toothbrush and will brush and floss up to fifty times each day. The healthcare provider understands that the patient's behavior is an attempt to accomplish which of the following?

OCD is an anxiety disorder identified by unwanted thoughts that the patient attempts to control by repeating actions that are excessive and interfere with the patient's normal routine. The continual brushing and flossing are a result of persistent thoughts that compel the patient to perform the ritual in order to get temporary relief. The ritualistic behavior (brushing and flossing the teeth) are compulsions that are performed in an attempt to provide relief from anxiety-provoking obsessions.