Being a teenager can be really tough sometimes. Pressures from school, family, friends and extracurriculars paired with changes experienced during adolescence can make them feel like a pressure cooker waiting to explode. As a result, some teens can feel really angry while dealing with these changes. If this sounds like your teen, here are some positive outlets you can encourage them to participate in to help deal with their anger.
1. Exercise
Exercise is an excellent and productive way for your teen to release pent-up energy after an aggravating experience. When we exercise, our body releases endorphins, which are feel-good neurotransmitters, making us feel more positive.
2. Journal
We don’t always have the best judgement when dealing with others when we are angry. In those instances it can be helpful to step back and write in a journal before taking any action with our friends. Journaling lets your teen write down their thoughts to help them process, think and let strong emotions subside. If your teen isn’t interested in keeping a journal, they can choose to crumple, rip or burn the paper they’ve written on as a cathartic release.
3. Find Calm
Anger is a very active emotion; it bubbles up inside of us and makes us want to act out in some way. One of the best ways for your teen to reduce these feelings is to find a sense of calm. Breathing exercises, meditation, yoga and listening to calming music are all great ways to slow their heart rate and help them to unclench their fists.
4. Channel an Opposing Feeling
It’s not recommended that your teen suppress their anger to the point where feelings boil over in an unhealthy way. When any moments of negativity spark up, encourage them to try cultivate an opposing, more positive emotion. They can do an activity that brings them joy, talk to someone who instantly makes them feel happy or watch a movie that they know will make them laugh. Sometimes all we need to pull us out of a negative funk is a little positivity.
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