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TEEN ANGER TREATMENT

Author:
Emma Loker
Emma Loker
B.S.
Editor:
Aja Chavez
Aja Chavez
AMFT, APCC
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Mission Prep treatment center offers individualized and effective care for teens struggling with anger issues. We recognize the importance of conducing a comprehensive evaluation during the intake process to fully understand each teen’s needs. Our treatment approach combines somatic experiencing, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to equip teens with the tools to regulate their emotions and express anger in healthier, more constructive ways.

teen girl leaning against a wall while in need of teen anger treatment
teen girl leaning against a wall while in need of teen anger treatment
teen girl leaning against a wall while in need of teen anger treatment

TEEN ANGER TREATMENT

We utilize the biopsychosocial model to examine how biological, psychological, cognitive, and environmental factors shape the development and expression of anger. Our process focuses on thoroughly understanding the triggers, severity, and environmental influences that contribute to anger. This includes conducting comprehensive psychological evaluations, using structured tools to track progress, and collecting detailed histories from clients and their families.

Our individualized approach is designed to help teens create lasting strategies for emotional regulation and effectively managing anger. We assess the impact of anger on daily life, including relationships, school performance, and social connections. We also evaluate factors such as sleep, diet, responsibilities, and other lifestyle elements that can influence emotional health.

TEEN ANGER ISSUES AND RELATED CONDITIONS

Dealing with an angry teenager is an exhausting experience for parents, caregivers, and educators. You may feel like you’re constantly walking on eggshells, dreading the unpredictability of your teen’s angry reactions.  The intensity of your teen’s anger can become difficult to manage over time, leaving you stressed, overwhelmed, and maybe even scared. If you’re feeling powerless trying to understand an adolescent’s anger issues, know that you are not alone and know that you can take steps to ease the overwhelm. By learning how to identify anger issues in teenagers and looking for the signs, you can pinpoint when support is necessary. What’s more, once you know the interventions that are available, you can get your teen the support they need. As difficult as teen anger is to deal with, professional help is available.
It’s normal for adolescents to feel irritable, grumpy, and moody and to want more independence from their parents and other supportive adults.1 They also tend to want to figure things out for themselves and will frequently seek out their peers for advice and support. Mood swings can be a frequent occurrence in the teen years. They may seem happy one minute but then inexplicably irritable and angry the next. Adolescents may also express rebellious and even defiant behavior, regardless of whether they had always been compliant leading up to this.  However, while a certain level of anger is expected in teens, some anger issues in adolescence indicate a need for more intensive intervention. Warning signs of anger-related disorders in teens include:
  • Physical violence, such as hitting parents, punching siblings, or getting into fights at school.
  • Verbal abusiveness, such as yelling at parents, insulting siblings, or lashing out at peers in school.
  • Destructiveness, like punching walls or destroying physical property.
  • Oppositional behaviors, like ignoring rules, not respecting boundaries, or refusing to comply with consequences.

If you’re concerned about intensive anger-related behaviors in your teen, it’s important to seek professional help.
Every teenager expresses anger differently depending on their individual personality and temperament. Some teens may show their anger outwardly, while others may keep their anger hidden internally, also known as repressed anger.6 Common signs of anger problems in youth include:
  • Behavioral signs, such as angry outbursts, defiance, aggression, and destructive actions.
  • Emotional indicators, such as irritability, frustration, and feeling overwhelmed.
  • Physical manifestations, such as clenched fists, an increased heart rate, and a tense posture.

If your teen’s symptoms of anger continue to escalate or last for an extended period of time, this can indicate chronic anger. Seeking professional mental health support is important to identify appropriate treatment options.

While anger issues in youth can be unique and situational, there are a number of common causes that can trigger anger in teens. Let’s look at each of these in turn: 

    • Brain Development: Teen brains are still growing and developing, and this can affect an adolescent’s ability to regulate their anger.5
    • Hormonal Changes: As children enter puberty, hormones change as their bodies develop and grow, and this can cause irritability and moodiness.
    • Conflict With Parents: As teens begin to crave more independence and autonomy, this can create conflict with parents and caregivers.5
    • Academic Pressure: It’s normal for teens to begin thinking about their future and worry about their school performance, or they may find school difficult and struggle to keep up.
    • Managing Relationships: Some teens have difficulty managing conflicts in their relationships with their friends or romantic interests.
    • Unresolved Trauma: Not fully processing or getting adequate support after a traumatic event can cause anger in teens.
    • Low Self-esteem: Some teens feel inadequate when compared to their peers, or they may experience a painful romantic rejection.

THE BENEFITS OF RESIDENTIAL ANGER TREATMENT PROGRAMS

Residential anger treatment programs offer a supportive and intensive environment for teens struggling with anger issues and anger-related conditions.

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STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT

Establishes a structured daily routine, fostering predictability and stability to help reduce feelings of anger and frustration.

INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLANS

Tailored to meet the unique needs and triggers of each teen, ensuring focused and effective anger management treatment.

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

Offers access to a multidisciplinary team of therapists, counselors, and medical professionals with expertise in adolescent anger management and mental health.

PEER SUPPORT

Engaging with peers who face similar challenges helps build a sense of community, reduces feelings of isolation, and encourages mutual support and understanding in managing anger.

HOLISTIC APPROACH

Utilizes evidence-based therapies such as somatic experiencing, CBT, and DBT to address both the psychological and physiological aspects of anger.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Concentrates on developing coping strategies, emotional regulation skills, and resilience to help teens manage anger in their everyday lives.

adolescent girl sitting on the floor while struggling with teen mental health

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR TEEN ANGER ISSUES

Therapy for teens with anger problems is readily available with qualified professionals who provide counseling for angry youth. The mental health professionals at Mission Prep offer data-driven mental health therapy for teenage anger issues in a variety of settings to best meet the needs of teens and their families.  Treatment options include:
  • Residential Treatment Programs: Treatment includes 24-hour support from trained professionals with therapy sessions and engaging activities that focus on adolescent anger behavior modification.
  • Inpatient Programs: Short-term, intensive care for adolescents with severe anger issues provided in a safe and stable environment to help adolescents learn anger management strategies.

Mission Prep provides highly personalized and innovative therapy options with its youth anger rehabilitation programs. Therapeutic approaches include:
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focuses on reshaping negative thoughts and behaviors and offers strategies for long-term change.
  • EMDR Therapy: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy helps teens process trauma and reduce symptoms of PTSD.
  • Behavior Modification Programs: Help teens learn techniques to encourage positive behavior and effective skills for managing anger.
  • Emotional Regulation Therapy: Helps teens learn how to manage their emotions and decrease their use of anger as a response to stressful situations.
  • Family Counseling: Teaches the skills needed to resolve conflicts in healthy ways and improve overall family dynamics.
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AVOIDING ANGER TRIGGERS IN TEENS

While the residential and inpatient treatment programs at Mission Prep offer a safe haven from anger triggers in adolescents, it’s important for adults to recognize these triggers of anger in teens at home. Common triggers include:

  • Poor grades in school.
  • Being bullied at school.
  • Conflicts with friends or romantic interests.
  • Arguments with parents or family members.
  • Feeling inadequate when compared to siblings or peers.
  • Feeling rejected or excluded by friends or a romantic interest.

There are also strategies that parents, family members, and educators can incorporate to help teens avoid or manage their triggers.3 Some helpful strategies include:
  • Respecting your teen’s feelings and empathizing with any difficult or challenging situations they may be dealing with.
  • Checking in with your teenager to see how they’re feeling and asking about any problems or conflicts they might be experiencing.
  • Avoiding responding to your teen’s angry outbursts with your own anger and modeling how to respond to an emotionally charged situation in a calm and thoughtful manner.
  • Monitoring your teenager’s friend groups or romantic partners to identify potentially abusive or toxic relationships that your teen may need help breaking away from.
  • Reminding your teen that their feelings are important and valid no matter how big or small a situation may seem to be.

Striving to develop and maintain an open, honest, and trusting relationship with your teen is one of the most important ways to help them manage their anger.

SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR TEEN ANGER

The mental health professionals at Mission Prep offer premium mental health treatment for adolescents and teens. Mission Prep takes a whole family approach to treatment and prioritizes the close involvement of parents and families. 

Reach out to us by calling the Mission Prep support line to speak with a compassionate member of our team and learn more about our residential treatment programs. We will offer confidential information about our teen anger treatment centers, resources, and services. 

We will also help you complete a HIPAA-compliant form to obtain detailed coverage information from your insurance company. This form is 100% confidential, and your insurance provider will not be notified. Private pay options are also available.

Remember that you’re not alone in dealing with an angry teenager. Let us help you and your family at Mission Prep and support your child on their journey to recovery.

CALL (866) 823-5825
adolescent girl sitting on the floor while struggling with teen mental health

OUR FACILITIES

Our facilities are an important part of the treatment process at Mission Prep. We believe it’s critical for our clients to have a safe and welcoming environment to build the tools they need to facilitate healing. Our modern and welcoming homes provide stability for adolescents who need a healthy place to develop and practice strategies to help lay the foundation for sustainable healing.

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References

  1. Walsh, L. M., Wolk, C. B., Becker-Haimes, E. M., Jensen-Doss, A., & Beidas, R. S. (2017). The relationship between anger and anxiety symptoms in youth with anxiety disorders. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 4(2), 117–133. https://doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2017.1381930
  2. Anjanappa, S., Govindan, R., Munivenkatappa, M., & Bhaskarapillai, B. (2023). Effectiveness of anger management program on anger level, problem solving skills, communication skills, and adjustment among school-going adolescents. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_1216_22
  3. Child Mind Institute. (2024, May 21). Teens and Anger.
    https://childmind.org/article/teens-and-anger/
  4. Di Giunta, L., Lunetti, C., Gliozzo, G., Rothenberg, W. A., Lansford, J. E., Eisenberg, N., Pastorelli, C., Basili, E., Fiasconaro, I., Thartori, E., Favini, A., & Virzì, A. T. (2022). Negative Parenting, Adolescents’ emotion Regulation, Self-Efficacy in Emotion Regulation, and Psychological Adjustment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(4), 2251. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042251
  5. Otterpohl, N., Wild, E., Havighurst, S. S., Stiensmeier-Pelster, J., & Kehoe, C. E. (2021). The interplay of parental response to anger, adolescent anger regulation, and externalizing and Internalizing problems: a longitudinal study. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 50(2), 225–239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00795-z
  6. Psychology Today. (11 January, 2022). 5 Symptoms of Repressed Anger.
    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-emotional-intensity/202201/5-symptoms-repressed-anger
  7. Sahu, A., Gupta, P., & Chatterjee, B. (2014). Depression is More Than Just Sadness: A Case of Excessive Anger and Its Management in Depression. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 36(1), 77–79. https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.127259

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