Every generation of teenagers has its own angsty and depressed music—be it grunge artists of the ’90s or the introspective lyrics of Bob Dylan in the ’60s. It’s the music an adolescent can listen to when he or she feels down, confused, moody, or discouraged. It’s music that expresses that experience and affirms those feelings. For many teenagers today, it’s the music of Billie Eilish. In this week’s featured article, Brad M. Griffin of the Fuller Youth Institute looks more closely at why Eilish’s music is resonnating so much with teenagers today and, more imporantly, how her music can give us a window into teenagers’ experiences of depression and anxiety. Griffin says that Eilish’s sound, lyrics, and overall look present “an aesthetic that today’s teenagers get. Life is hard. Adults are handing down a screwed-up world. Politics is depressing.” In “Billie Eilish Can Help Us Understand Teenage Anxiety,” Griffin provides important insights for parents regarding how we can recognize anxiety and depression in our kids and how we can respond in a way that is truly helpful. Among his many insights, Griffin puts forth this suggestion to share with anxious teens: “Anxiety can actually become a personal and spiritual growth tool when we learn to ask ourselves questions like, Where is God at work in the midst of my worry? or, What might this anxiety be trying to tell me?” Parenting kids who are anxious or depressed can be scary; may God give us wisdom and grace to love and care for them well. |