What Are Anger-Management Techniques for Teens?

With all the physical and mental changes in a teen's life, dealing with strong emotions is almost inevitable. Many teens experience frequent anger for many reasons. It could be frustration with parents, a fight with a friend or difficulty at school. Whatever the reason, the buildup to anger can be bad for a teen's mental and physical health, especially if he or she has trouble controlling it. Learning to control anger and deal with it constructively can make a great difference in a teen's life.

Effects of Anger

• Besides causing problems with friends and family, anger can have many different health consequences. Feeling angry all the time can lead to depression, eating problems and abuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances. Besides these mental and emotional issues, anger issues can lead to physical problems, too. Anger and other stress can harm your heart and cause high blood pressure, and also pose a higher risk for back pain and stomach problems. Learning to control anger can help a teen learn to prevent these problems.

Trigger Situations

• The first thing to do in controlling anger is to recognize what exactly triggers it in the first place. Ask the teen to remember the past few times that he or she became very angry, and determine what situation caused it. Tell them to think about how they reacted to that situation and what their first thoughts were, noting that thoughts, emotions and actions are all closely related. Maybe they perceived the situation as embarrassing, threatening or even made them feel like they didn't have any control. Help them realize that a certain thought or feeling could prompt them to express anger.

Controlling Anger

• Teens can learn to manage their anger in many ways. One is to walk away from the situation. Explain to them that if they feel their blood beginning to boil, they can remove themselves from the conflict and go somewhere that makes them feel safe and calm. For instance, if they are fighting with a sibling, explain that it may be best to go to another room, shut the door and calm down before dealing with the conflict in a rational way. Prevent anger from building by anticipating a situation. If the discussion is about a bad grade the teen received, think out the conversation ahead of time. Try to see the situation from the other's perspective and think of ways that you can discuss the bad grade in a constructive way, without getting angry. Also, teens need to stay aware of changes in their body. They may not turn green and sprout giant muscles, but there are physical symptoms, like tensed muscles and a racing pulse that can alert you that anger is starting to build.

Releasing Anger

• There are many healthy ways to release anger without springing it on someone in an inappropriate situation. Controlling anger doesn't mean keeping emotions bottled up inside. Get feelings out in constructive ways like writing in a journal, working off anger in the gym, painting or drawing or phoning a best friend to vent. Often, getting feelings off one's chest makes anyone feel more in control.