6 Best Anger Management Coping Skills for Teens
Anger is a normal emotion we all feel from time to time, but teens may be more prone to anger control issues. Teenagers often find it difficult to control their anger due to hormonal changes, low self-esteem, or discomfort communicating their feelings.
While most teenagers learn how to control their anger over time, others may continue to struggle with anger management due to underlying difficulties with anxiety, depression, and other common mental health issues.
Anger management coping skills for teens is just as important as the underlying issue. If they don’t learn how to manage their anger, they’ll have difficulty at school, in relationships, and in their careers.
Coping skills for anger are things we can do to help them reduce, and better manage anger. Helping them to calm their brain, and think more clearly during angry situations.
What Are Good Coping Skills for Angry Teens?
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Anger vs. Aggression
Teach your teen the difference between angry feelings and aggressive behavior. Angry feelings are completely acceptable. Aggressive behavior, however, is not OK. Make it clear that it’s never OK to throw things, slam doors, or deliberately break objects.
Teens need to know that aggressive behavior—even if it is only verbal aggression—can have serious ramifications. Making threatening comments over social media, for example, could lead to legal consequences. Discuss the potential academic, social, and legal consequences of aggressive and violent behavior.
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Acceptable Coping Skills
Teens need to know socially appropriate ways to deal with angry feelings.
Teens who lack coping skills are more likely to become verbally or physically aggressive.
Help your teen identify anger management coping skills, such as disappointment and frustration. While drawing may help one teen calm down, another teen may benefit from going for a walk. Work with your teen on identifying specific coping strategies that help diffuse anger.
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Self-Directed Time-Outs
Similarly, teach teens to put themselves in time-out when they are struggling with anger. Give them a quick break to gather their thoughts in a private space, or encourage them to end a conversation with a friend if it is getting heated.
Create time-out guidelines For example, agree that if anyone in the house is getting too angry to continue a discussion, you’ll take a 15-minute break before continuing the conversation.
If your teen chooses to take a time-out, don’t follow them or insist on continuing the conversation while they are still upset. Instead, agree to revisit the conversation after a brief cool-down period.
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Role Modeling
You’ll teach your teen more about handling anger with your behavior than your words. If you yell, swear, and break things, don’t expect your teen to control their anger. Role model appropriate ways to deal with angry feelings.
Show your child how to talk about angry feelings and how to express those feelings appropriately. For example, say, “I’m really angry that you didn’t clean your room like I asked you to. I’m going to go take a break for a few minutes and then we’re going to talk about your consequences.”
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Have them keep a
Suggest your teen use a journal. Writing feelings down on paper can help them look back and identify patterns over time. Jot down the date and time when they are feeling angry. Include what’s happening and how they feel.
After a few weeks, look back and see if there are any times or situations that are triggering their anger. If they are very irritable early in the morning, it could be that they’re not getting enough sleep or that they need a more pleasant wake-up routine. If they’re always mad after math class, it could be that the class is stressful for them; look for ways to make it less so (e.g. a math tutor, switching to a different math class, or simply using their relaxation techniques during or after the class).
As one of the most commonly used anger management techniques, we encourage your teen to jot down their thoughts and feelings regularly.
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Develop Coping Skills
Teens with anger issues can try these simple relaxation techniques to control their temper:
- Listening to music
- Meditating or taking deep breaths
- Working out
- Drawing or painting
- Counting to 20 before blurting out
Anger management can be difficult at any age but it can be harder for teens to overcome anger issues. With so many changes taking place throughout adolescence, it’s not surprising that many teenagers need a little extra help managing their emotions and there’s certainly no shame in reaching out for the help they need. We hope you found these anger management coping skills helpful. Let us know which technique you’re most interested in trying.
