Former Auburn Tigers OL Braden Smith Fights Unseen Foe

Former Auburn Tigers and current Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Braden Smith fights an invisible opponent, stronger and quicker than any defender. June is Men's Mental Health Month, and Smith battles the unseen but, to him, very real opponents in his mind. 

Last year, he was diagnosed with a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder known as religious scrupulosity. When untreated, Smith lives in constant fear of not being a good person or of being punished for sins by his deity.

Estimates suggest that between 1% and 3% of the American population suffers from scrupulosity. In effect, 3.8 million people in this country suffer from the disorder.

He missed the last five games of 2024 due to his condition. Smith suffered mental breakdowns before every game and could not function. He informed his wife that he would retire. The Colts drafted Smith out of Auburn with the 37th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

“I was having a court case in my mind all the time—pleading myself to the jury—because my mind all the time would be like, ‘You know, God can hear your thoughts,’” Smith told CNN Sports.

The tackle checked himself into a treatment facility, where he sought options. One of the choices presented was brain surgery, but he chose medication. Now, what he selected, ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT, are not legal in America. 

As a result, the 29-year-old flew to Mexico to take them and return home. Whether he will continue to take the doses in subsequent trips across the border remains unknown. However, the medication worked, and Smith feels positive about his present and future.

“I’m still dealing with OCD, still have obstacles to conquer each and every day,” he said. “It’s part of my life. I can’t run or hide from it. And I can’t fight it either, per se, because the more that I fight, the more that I play into its hand, and I just have to accept it for what it is. The OCD always wants you to do more and more and more. That’s something that’s been preached my whole life: doing more. But at this point, I almost have to do less."

Smith will continue his career and fight OCD at the same time. Mental health issues can strike anyone at any time. It does not care about your profession or body type. The former Tiger is considered one of the strongest offensive linemen in the league, but he will continue to face down the unseen, with the hope of getting on with his life.