by Mayah Taylor, MA

Parenting a teenager is no easy task. These formative years (the teenage years) are what many feel made you the independent, productive person you are today. And you want the same for your child, right?!  During this time, your child is challenged with finding their sense of self and developing their own individual personal identity. You will notice your child becoming more independent during this stage in life. Adolescence can also be a time of stress and strain for the average teen. Your teen may express this stress and strain through anger. But we are here to help get you and your family through this!

Teenage Anger: Is it Just the Hormones?

Just like adults, teens get angry. The never-ending hormonal changes your teen experiences during this period of growth can make them more vulnerable to their emotions. Anger is a normal emotion to see your teen express. But how do we know when teenage anger is a problem, and not just hormonal behavior?

Anger on the Brain

So, what does an angry teen typically say during times of anger. In our practice, I have heard common anger scripts among teens including: “I’m really angry!,” “You make me so mad!,” “I just wish everyone would leave me alone!,” and “I hate my life!”

If you feel that your teen is struggling with their anger, now is the time to act. The sooner that parents act to help their teens, the sooner the teen will be able to learn to cope and control their anger as well as recognize when they are angry.  Learning to recognize, cope, and control anger are invaluable skills a young teen can have that they will be able to use in their teenage years and throughout life.

It is important to recognize the warning signs that there may be an anger problem. Be especially vigilant if your teens show signs of violent and aggressive behavior. Take care to establish boundaries and rules, help your teen explore their anger so they can begin to understand it, work with your teen to find healthy ways to relieve the anger inside them, and be mindful of your own anger (it doesn’t help anyone if the parent loses their temper too!).

For more support, please contact us here.  We provide Anger Management services in Richmond, VA and online, worldwide. And, if you’re ready to take the next steps towards emotional equilibrium, get on our wait list for our popular 8-week Anger Class, here!

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Also read:

The Angry Parent

The Angry Wife