Why Am I Feeling like This?

In this book, David Murray, University lecturer and counsellor, helps young people to see the roots of anxiety and depression, in their own or in their friends' lives. He has written a companion book for parents, Help! My teen is struggling with Anxiety and Depression.

The strength of Murray's view is that he is not simplistic: there are spiritual, physical, social, technological and emotional reasons why there has been a huge rise in mental health issues in recent years. But he is immensely practical in what we can do to help. The warning signs are often right on the surface and his advice is to not avoid these, either as a sufferer or as a parent or friend. Eventually, stopping to think and help appears to be a sacrifice of time and comfort but will save a lot of time and pain later.

Some things we have no control over, but we can examine ourselves: a big part of anxiety and depression is related to sin and a wrong idea of God. And we can point to a God of forgiveness and grace, who wants people to have joy and delight in him and his world.

This is a compassionate book, that encourages us that we can have full, forever, free forgiveness in Christ, and though we may be frightened by the darkness of anxiety and depression, Jesus is never afraid to come close and to heal. Well worth the time. 

Lane Butt