Patrick McCaffery to take mental health related leave of absence from Iowa basketball

The Iowa Hawkeyes will be without junior forward Patrick McCaffery for a time while he takes care of his mental health and anxiety. McCaffery released a statement explaining his current issues and how they have affected him on the court for the Hawkeyes, revealing that his absence from the court did not have a specific time frame attached to it.

Patrick McCaffery takes mental health absence

“I have been battling anxiety for a while, and recently it has peaked, which has inhibited my preparation and performance on the court,” said McCaffery in his statement. “It’s not fair to myself or teammates to be on the court when I am not myself. The anxiety has affected my sleep, appetite, and stamina, which has resulted in not having the energy level necessary to compete at my full capabilities.

“My struggle with anxiety affects every aspect of my well-being and makes it incredibly difficult to function normally. This is what I am battling right now. For this reason, I am taking an indefinite leave to address my situation. It might be two games, it may be four games, it may be more, but I will return when I feel like myself. My leave of absence is not related to my past battle with cancer.”

As McCaffery mentioned in his statement, he previously battled thyroid cancer while in junior high — recovering from his battle and the health issues it caused for him throughout. McCaffery stated specifically that his current battle with anxiety is not in direct relation to his health issues in the past.

“Patrick is one of the millions of people who battle through anxiety on a daily basis,” said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery — Patrick’s father. “It has become more noticeable on and off the court over the past couple weeks. Patrick has the full support of his family, coaches, teammates, and administration as he fights through this.”