Why Am I Feeling Like This?: A Teen's Guide to Freedom from Anxiety and Depression

If you have experienced anxiety or depression, you may have asked yourself, Why am I feeling like this? You are not alone.

Pastor and counselor David Murray introduces you to the personal accounts of eighteen teens who have struggled with different types of anxiety or depression. This guide will help you discover not only the common causes but also the keys to unlock their chains. By utilizing God-given truths and tactics, you can experience new liberty, peace, and joy in your life.

Table of Contents

Author

David Murray (PhD, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is professor of Old Testament and practical theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He is also a counselor, a regular speaker at conferences, and the author of Exploring the Bible. David and his wife, Shona, attend Grand Rapids Free Reformed Church.

Endorsements

“As a parent of three daughters, I know teenagers fear talking to their parents about difficult subject matters like anxiety and depression. But this no longer has to be the case. My friend David Murray wrote a tool for teenagers to not only help them understand anxiety and depression but also give them guidance on how they can have tough conversations with their parents or other responsible adults.” - Ed Stetzer, Executive Director, Billy Graham Center for Evangelism, Wheaton College

“David Murray’s book and words have been a huge help in my walk with anxiety and depression. As a teenager, a student, and an athlete, the stresses of this world can easily become too much. I’d recommend this book to family, friends, or any teen who is struggling.” - Isaac, age 17

“Parenting is good for our prayer lives, we find, especially when sons and daughters are navigating the many anxieties that seem to coincide with the teenage years. David Murray has the practical experience and spiritual wisdom to help. Based in biblical truth and at the same time sensitive to the psychological and physiological complexities of human emotions, Murray’s companion guides tell real-life stories that empower teens and their parents to understand their feelings, care well for one another, and take concrete steps toward healing together.” - Phil and Lisa Ryken, President, Wheaton College, and his wife, Lisa Ryken

“For years, I have been scouring shelves for solid and practical teen resources that blend Christian faith and mental health. My search is over! In Why Am I Feeling Like This?, David Murray offers engaging wisdom that addresses common teenage thought hurdles that perpetuate anxiety and depression, all in a voice that resonates with a teen reader. I am thrilled to add this book to my professional library.” - Emilie DeYoung, Supervisor for Child and Adolescent Counseling, Family Wellness Center, Zeeland, Michigan

“There are plenty of resources for adults struggling with stress, anxiety, and depression, but few for teens—even though we know that more teens than ever are facing these issues. A resource was desperately needed to address their unique challenges and circumstances, and this book is the best thing I could have imagined. It’s the most practical, compassionate, and biblical resource I have ever seen for teenagers struggling with anxiety and depression. I will be quickly recommending this to any struggling teen I know.” - Jaquelle Crowe Ferris, Founder and COO, The Young Writer; author, This Changes Everything

“With anxiety and depression at an all-time high in today’s teens, this book could not come at a more crucial time. Why Am I Feeling Like This? is an extremely practical, helpful, biblical, and hopeful book that will help open the pathways of communication between teens and their parents. Rather than giving spiritually cliché answers to a complex and multilayered issue, David Murray compassionately walks alongside anxious and hurting teenagers in a disarming way, offering clarity, hope, and wise counsel in how to better understand their unique struggle with anxiety and depression, as well as practical and spiritual tools to take steps toward physical and spiritual healing.” - Sarah Walton, coauthor, Hope When It Hurts and Together through the Storms

“All teenagers who experience anxiety or depression long for a silver bullet to magically solve the way they feel. Unfortunately, such a silver bullet does not exist. Fortunately, teens now have a toolbox full of manageable, practical approaches to help them heal in the face of anxiety or depression. In Why Am I Feeling Like This?, David Murray demonstrates his understanding of teens’ struggles and his grasp of practical, biblical paths toward healing. This book will be an immensely helpful guide to any teen who wants to find healing and is willing to take small but significant action steps to achieve it.” - Christopher Walker, Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

“Teens, if you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or a combination of the two, you need to read Why Am I Feeling Like This? David Murray will help you—he is insightful, biblical, wise, and practical. Heed his words and counsel, and mostly, heed God’s word as you seek to battle anxiety and pursue healing through Christ’s help and the hope of his gospel.” - Kristen Wetherell, author, Fight Your Fears; coauthor, Hope When It Hurts