Students & anxiety

TRACK: ANXIETY
A Student’s Guide To Anxiety
By Edward T Welch
Christian Focus. 86 pages. £2.99
ISBN 978 1 527 104 501

Issues of mental health have been very much in discussion recently. King’s College in London even had an exhibition running from September 2019 – January 2020 entitled: On Edge: living in an age of anxiety.

One of the disturbing statistics is that 10% of young people between the ages of 5 – 16 years suffer from an identifiable mental illness and 70% have not had any early and appropriate intervention. The chances are that, once the present situation in our nation subsides, many young people will be suffering from the effects of isolation and loneliness.

A book for young teens

With these realities to the fore, Edward Welch’s little book is very timely. Track is a series of books for teenagers dealing with aspects of discipleship. This book dealing with anxiety is well written with young teens in mind. It is short and with a very easy style – short sentences and short paragraphs – which makes it accessible to most teens. It is full of helpful strategies for young people to deal with anxiety, but it is thoroughly based on Scriptural principles, with appropriate verses throughout each short chapter.

The book has an American flavour and the occasional expression, probably known by a teenager, but lost on me: do you know what a ‘sasquatch’ is? No? Neither do I!

I had some difficulty deciding what age group this book was most appropriate for. Although the gospel is clearly explained, the book is most relevant to a Christian young person or one who has a fairly thorough Christian background. It is also most probably relevant to teenagers aged 14 – 16. Parents or Christian youth workers would need to read the book first to decide whether it is appropriate to a specific young person.

Anxiety and depression are certainly prevalent in these times and sadly many young people are suffering, often in silence. Edward Welch has done us a great service in addressing these distressing issues in this Biblical, sensitive and accessible book.