What Are Some Ways for Teenagers to Release Anger?

Sometimes, a teenager builds up a great deal of anger. Between uncontrollable hormones, social stresses and trying to figure out a place in the world, being a teenager is difficult. However, holding in anger is not productive and can be harmful. Instead, parents with angry teenagers should work with them to find a healthy outlet for that angry energy.

  1. Sports

    • Sports work to defuse teenage anger on multiple levels. First, sports such as football and basketball require an enormous output of energy. This burns off excess energy that could otherwise be expressed in angry ways. Second, sports require discipline for success. Increased discipline helps teens gain control of a bad temper. Third, sports make a teen a part of a team. This is a positive environment for many teens and helps some to overcome the root causes of anger, such as feelings of alienation.

    Video Games

    • Most of the work that has been published about teens and violent video games has suggested that a link exists between violent behavior in teens and violent video games. A study by Massachusetts General Hospital refutes this typical finding and instead shows that violent video games can provide teens with an outlet for their anger. Most of the children studied were normal, sociable children, and the games provided an outlet for pent-up frustration.

    Writing

    • Writing is a powerful tool for a teenager trying to control emotions far stronger than anything she has felt before. A teen who suffers from anger problems should be encouraged to write. Writing songs, poetry or in a journal helps to express angry feelings that otherwise get bottled up inside until tempers flare or until the stress of holding anger in causes emotional or even physical damage.

    Get Creative

    • Creative pursuits are an appropriate way for teens to express their anger. Artistic projects such as drawing and painting, acting, film-making and music are all effective ways to express anger in a nondestructive way. Many talented musicians, for instance, clearly hold a great deal of anger that they express through their songs. For some, this might not only be an effective anger management technique but it could foster a lifelong love for the arts.

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