Finding An Anger Management Groups For Teens
It is typical for a teenager to experience a wide range of emotions throughout his or her adolescence.
The maturation process that occurs during adolescence can result in highly moody, difficult to read, secretive and seemingly irrational behaviors. A fundamental aspect of adolescence is shedding old methods of asserting one’s wants and/ or needs by learning how to navigate challenges and advocating for oneself in a socially acceptable fashion. Take, for example a two year old throwing a temper tantrum (i.e. kicking, screaming, hitting…etc.), while it can be frustrating and annoying for a parent, it is an age appropriate way for the child to assert his or her wants. However, a typically developing seventeen year old behaving the same way to express his or her wants is not age appropriate nor is it acceptable.
While each young person will manage and express his or her emotions differently, it is important to bear in mind that teenagers are not operating with the same amount of brain development as adults. Much of the seemingly thoughtless and bizarre behaviors exhibited by teenagers are done so due to the age appropriate developmental stage of adolescence. This, however, does not imply that teenagers should not be held responsible for unwarranted angry outbursts. Gathering a basic understanding of typical expressions of anger versus atypical angry outbursts can help you identify and support your teen in the best way possible.
Anger is a healthy emotion when it is expressed and handled properly. When teenage expressions of anger have become problematic, some of the following warning signs may be exhibited:
- Threatens to inflict self-harm and/ or to harm others when angry
- Displays a complete transformation in appearance, behavior, and/ or emotional affect when angry
- Is deliberately destructive when angry
- Randomly has angry outbursts with minimal or no cause
Encouraging a young person that has anger management issues to attend anger management support groups can be incredibly helpful to the treatment process. One way to support your teen through learning how to manage his or her anger is to hold them accountable for their actions. Regardless of what transpired, facing the consequences will help to enable them to learn lessons that will allow for a successful transition into adulthood.
Where To Start The Search?
There are an abundance of teenage anger management support group meetings held all across the United States. As is true for the wide range of categories of support group meetings available, there are specialized groups held within each subset, sometimes broken up by gender, age, specific issue…etc. For example, there are anger management support group meetings held specifically for teenagers that identify as female. Another example is that there are teenage anger management support groups that are held for young people that have struggled with substance abuse and/ or addiction.
A simple Internet search can be a good place to start when beginning the process of finding an anger management support group for teens. Psychology Today compiled a list of anger management support groups for teenagers. Another route when seeking an anger management support group for teenagers would be to obtain direction from a hospital, mental health clinic, and/ or substance abuse and addiction treatment facility. Additionally, any mental health professional will likely be able to provide guidance for locating a reputable anger management group for teenagers. When locating an anger management support group it is helpful to narrow the available options by identifying the specific needs of the teenager. It is helpful to keep in mind that not all support groups are the same. If one anger management support group meeting does not resonate with the teen, there is no harm in trying another. Still, be mindful that teenage anger management can be a complicated issue, and resistance to the treatment process is to be expected.
For Information and Support
Seeking help is never easy, but you are not alone! If you or someone you know is in need of mental health treatment, we strongly encourage you to reach out for help as quickly as possible. It is not uncommon for many mental health difficulties to impact a person for the long term. The earlier you seek support, the sooner you and your loved ones can return to happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
Our admissions team is available to answer any general questions regarding mental health issues, treatment, and/or specific questions about the program at Pacific Teen Treatment and how we might be able to help your family. We can be reached by phone 24/7 at 800-531-5769.
