The OCD Symptoms That Get Overlooked (And How To Spot Them)

The OCD Symptoms That Get Overlooked (And How To Spot Them)

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation between Jeannine Coulter Lindgren and case manager / brainspotting specialist Eden Presti looks at that question through the lens of OCD, trauma and addiction. You’ll hear Eden explain her work at Seasons Malibu, where case management is all about collaboration, aftercare, and building individual plans instead of "cookie cutter" solutions.

She talks about the importance of sober living, community, and continuity of care, noting that many people who stay sober long-term lean on AA or other recovery programmes. The heart of the episode is Eden’s own history with OCD, which started in childhood with counting steps and "magical thinking" around keeping her family safe. She breaks down what OCD actually is: intrusive, distressing thoughts followed by compulsions meant to lower anxiety.

Crucially, she points out that everyone can have "shades" of mental illness, but it becomes diagnosable when it interferes with daily life. Eden walks through lesser-known OCD themes, like fears of harming loved ones, sexual or relationship-focused obsessions, and the exhausting internal rituals many people hide.

She shares how she eventually realised, through her own research, that she had OCD, found a specialist, and used exposure and response prevention (ERP) plus medication to "sit through the discomfort" rather than compulsively trying to feel better. She also raises a striking idea: addiction may function like an OCD pattern, with "an obsession of the mind and the compulsive use to make the obsession go away," even when it clashes with a person’s values.

Later, Eden introduces brainspotting, a trauma-focused method that uses eye position and body cues to help process grief, anxiety and painful memories in a safe window of tolerance. Throughout, her message is clear: "Your thoughts do not define you" and there is always hope. If you’ve ever wondered whether unseen OCD symptoms or intrusive thoughts could be fuelling your struggle with substances, this episode might be a helpful place to pause and reflect.