Anger and Anger Management In Young People

None of us are immune to the negative aspects of anger and poor anger management.  Every single person has experienced anger at some time in their lives.  Since anger is a normal human reaction, often learned by young people, who have not attained the maturity to learn good anger management techniques, or live in homes where the adults have not learned productive anger management techniques, and have modeled their behavior, it is important that the whole family is actively committed to, learning good anger management techniques.  

School shootings, physical violence among families, friends, associates, and loved ones, are proof and manifestations of the fact that poor anger management is, especially in young people, on the rise.  Whether you blame the increase in anger related crimes, such as assault, murder, rape, physical and emotional abuse, on a lack of parental supervision, violence in video games or television, or other causes, the manifestations of poor anger management are becoming more and more commonplace, and increasing numbers of people are seeking professional help to gain control of the destructive effects of poor anger management.

Both internal and external events can cause anger.  Anger can be directed at a specific person (a friend, teacher, or parent) an event (academic challenges, loss of a loved one) or by frustration or worry over personal problems. There are many common causes for anger in school. Young people are easily frustrated and become angry when faced with difficult challenges. It is hard not to get angry when you feel you don’t fit in, don’t understand an assignment or project, when you fail a test, or fail to reach a goal.  Frustration can lead to anger.  Many students get angry at their parents or teachers, because they don't feel the rules are fair.  Sometimes anger occurs, without even knowing exactly why you are angry.  There are times it cannot be controlled and this is when we should seek help.
 
The worst thing you can do is deny your anger.  While you want to learn to manage your anger, so that your anger does not cause you to do harmful things to yourself or others, when you hold your feelings inside, they can lead to an explosion, and the only way to prevent that, is to learn good anger management techniques.