Teen Anger – My Teen is Out of Control

Teen Anger – My Teen is Out of Control

Teenagers are notorious for experiencing changing moods. One day, adolescents can be upbeat and happy, the next he or she could display argumentativeness, sarcasm and become almost impossible to reason with or be around. That being said, it is not surprising that teens often display the negative emotion of anger. Though it is not uncommon for teens to display period expressions of anger, frequent or violent occurrences that yield destructive or potentially dangerous behavior could result in significantly adverse consequences.

Hillcrest Adolescent Treatment Center, an in-patient rehabilitation center serving the needs of only teens stricken with addiction, psychological and behavioral issues, invites the parents of teenagers to read this brief blog that is designed to help adults gain a better understanding of teen anger. Topics to be discussed include the causes of teen anger, signs to pay attention to that may indicate a teen’s anger is burgeoning out of control, as well as methods both parents and teens could employ as a means of corralling this potentially devastating problem.

Causes Of Teen Anger

Teenagers may grow angry due to the presence of any one or a combination of physical, environmental, psychological or biological factors.

Amongst the most common precipitators is hormonal changes. During a person’s teenage years, his or her body and mind begins the process of maturing into adulthood. These biological changes are often stimulated by numerous hormones that can impact feelings and mood.

With the onset of maturity comes a greater desire for independent actions and thoughts. When teens begin thinking and acting independently, their ideas on how the world should operate and interpretations of reality can be quite different than the perceptions of adults like their parents. This clash of philosophy could lead to confrontation and angry episodes.

However, in certain instances, a teen’s anger might be precipitated by less common but potentially more serious underlying factors such as:

*Being bullied.

*Suffering physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

*Using mind-altering substances like alcohol and drugs.

*The presence of some type of mental health difficulty such as depression or anxiety.

It is important to note that every teen is different and many other issues could elicit anger in them.

Sings A Teen’s Anger Might Be Out Of Control

Periodic episodes of anger that manifest in occasional yelling are normal. However, the presence of certain other symptoms might indicate that a teen’s anger is spiraling to the point of no return and some form of intervention is necessary. Possible indicators include: physical confrontations that involve hitting and punching, difficulty making or maintaining friendships or other close personal relationships, scholastic problems, thoughts or threats of suicide, self-destructive behavior, destruction of property, pre-occupation with hatred and revenge.

Steps Parents Can Take To Curb Teen Anger

Sometimes, by opening the lines of communication with a teenager, parents might ease or eliminate the problem. Many adolescents yearn to be “treated like an adult.” In terms of employing this tactic to address anger issues, parents may find success by: not minimalizing the reasons a teen’s anger exists, avoiding the need to be overly critical of the things a teen does or the decisions he or she makes, occasionally listen instead of talking or instructing, acknowledging the young person’s feelings exist and enabling the adolescent to enjoy as much privacy and freedom as possible.

Actions Teens Struggling With Anger Issues May Wish To Employ

Personal responsibility is a significant part of a teen conquering his or her anger management problem. By admitting the problem exists, teens can execute the necessary steps to productively address the issue including the participation in activities such as: pinpointing the issue(s) that precipitate the anger, conceptualizing possible resolutions to these anger-eliciting problems, considering the consequences of having an angry outburst versus pursuing a solution to the anger-inducing matter, making a decision regarding how to handle the problem and paying close attention to the end results of each decision.

Anger is a normal emotion that many people, especially teens, experience from time to time. However, when the emotion occurs on a continual basis or leads to destructive behavior, parents and the impacted teens may need to take corrective measures. Typically, therapeutic efforts can provide some level of effectiveness in combating the problem. That said, however, in some cases, the anger might be precipitated by a more serious underlying cause that requires diagnosis and treatment by a medical or mental health professional.

If your teen in experiencing anger problems, please contact the Hillcrest Treatment Center. We may be able to help.

Sources:

1. https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/deal-with-anger.html

2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-raise-happy-cooperative-child/201802/coping-angry-teenager

3. http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/ten_signs_your_child_needs_help_controlling_their_anger

4. https://psychcentral.com/lib/teenage-anger/