As a teenager, you might get angry due to hormonal changes, or because that's the only way you've seen people act in your family setting. In any event, adolescent anger is a normal emotion, according to Angermanagementtips.com. The trick to dealing with it is to practice self control and develop tools that allow you to function successfully in home, school and social settings.
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Find What's Really Bothering You
Try to identify what's making you angry so you can respond appropriately. If a teacher says you haven't turned in your homework for a week, you may be tempted to get angry and respond rudely. TeensHealth says to ask yourself why the teacher's comments made you angry, or whether you're really feeling something else--say, embarassment--rather than anger. After you've pinpointed how you feel and why, you'll be able to respond more rationally. If you're embarrassed the teacher mentioned your missing homework in front of other students, you can ask if you may drop by after school to clear up the problem.
Check Your Physical Response
The Center for Young Women's Health says you can help control your anger by recognizing how you feel physically when you get mad. If you start taking shallow breaths as your anger mounts, practice breathing slowly and deeply to calm yourself down. If your muscles tighten, take a minute to relax them. As you feel yourself wind up physically and mentally, the center also suggests repeating a calming phrase to yourself, or closing your eyes to think about a calm person or place. In the situation when the teacher asks for your homework, this moment of calm can help you respond without an angry outburst.
Seek Alternatives
TeensHealth says to think about the consequences of your anger and use tools other than angry words to achieve the goal you want. In the homework scenario, an alternative to lashing out could be to say to the teacher, "I know I haven't gotten my work in. Could we work together on a solution?" The Center for Young Women's Health says one alternative is to walk away from a situation to get calm. If you need time to respond to the teacher, ask to use the rest room; if you're in a heated situation with other students, taking time off is a good way to cool down.
Look Back
After an angry episode, analyze how you acted. TeensHealth suggests asking yourself whether you practiced self control, made rational choices and achieved a goal you wanted. If you didn't, think about how you can improve in the future, or issue an apology for the current situation if you feel that's appropriate.
