Gary Zimak offers several of his books as resources for teens who worry, and speculates on the particular challenges that can cause worry in young people today.
Transcript
Host: Debbie from Facebook: “Do you have any material,” she asks, “available for teens, or have suggestions for a good resource?” She has a 14-year-old daughter who worries constantly, and at times she’s “paralyzed” with worry.
Gary: Yeah, I’ve lived it. I started when I was about 7. Debbie, I’ve gotten that question a lot. All of my books have been read and appreciated by teenagers. So I would recommend any of my books: “Stop Worrying and Start Living,” and “From Fear to Faith: A Step-By-Step Approach,” and “A Worrier’s Guide to the Bible.” I write in a very simple style, and many teenagers have used them and found relief.
Host: Do you– I wonder if you–and we can’t have a conversation with Debbie, because of course she typed that question in–but do you…it seems to me that maybe with all the electronics and all that, there’s more worry in teen–with teenagers.
Gary: Oh yeah.
Host: I mean, I know I worried a lot as a teenager, I mean it was just– it’s part of being a teenager.
Gary: Right.
Host: But it seems to me today, they– did they get enough likes on Facebook, or did somebody very say something mean all that.
Gary: Very true. Plus there’s a lot of pressure on kids to achieve, more so than when I was growing up. And it’s hard, kids are, you know, they’re called to do so many things, you know, and there’s a lot of pressure on them.