Where is it coming from?

Anger in Our Teens and in Ourselves

"Chris punched his fist into the bedroom wall.  But it wasn't enough.  He picked up his soda can and threw it into the hall.  The brown sugary liquid dripped down the walls and onto the carpeting.  "You can't make me!" he screamed.  "I'm not going anywhere with you!  I'll do what I want!"  Chris ran down the stairs and out the front door.  His father ran after him, yelling at him to get back in the house, but he had already gotten into his car and sped away.  Chris was so mad at his father.  He had better things to do than go visit family.  He and his friends had plans, and his father wasn't going to run his life.  He knew he'd feel better when he smoked some weed."  

What is happening here? Sound Familiar?  

Battling with anger.  He is not getting what he wants and things are not the way he thinks they should be.  There is a feeling intense displeasure or antagonism toward someone or something that comes with the realization that things are not always in their control.      

Anger is a feeling; not a behavior.  

Anger takes many forms -- from indignation and resentment to rage and fury -- and it is the expressions of the forms of anger -- the behavior -- that we see. Chris is defiant and destroys property.  He will continue with this behavior, or it may escalate, until he decides to look within himself to the roots of his anger.    

Anger can be harmful or healthy.  

Anger is a frightening emotion.  Its negative expressions can include physical and verbal violence, prejudice, malicious gossip, antisocial behavior, sarcasm, addictions, withdrawal, and psychosomatic disorders.  This can devastate lives -- destroying relationships, harming others, disrupting work, clouding effective thinking, affecting physical health, and ruining futures.  

But, there is a positive aspect -- it can show us that .......

Continued..go to page 2

------------------
Please visit the additional links on this page. These companies have been carefully selected to provide you with a relevant resource to the most important issues facing teens and the parenting of teens.