Anger Issues

CONSIDER THIS:

• Being angry constantly can make you feel frustrated and unhappy. You are wise for being patient enough to seek ways to calm your intense feelings even though you’re constantly bothered by everything.
• Knowledge is power. You can learn more about anger by visiting the Teen Central website then clicking the Learn tab then Anger Management. Under the Tools tab there are downloadable resources called MOOD TRACKER and POSITIVE REMINDER to help you. If you need to talk to someone you can go to the Help tab to use a textline or call a hotline. You can also speak to a trusted therapist, school counselor or religious leader if you’d like to.
• Physically harming yourself or others will not solve anything. In fact, it might make you even angrier. Before you get angry, you can try taking deep breaths. Thinking before you act will help you stay out of unnecessary trouble plus you’ll learn to be more patient.
• You can be positive by repeating positive affirmations to yourself. Keep a daily journal to express your thoughts or write down inspirational quotes if you’d like to. You can also write down all the things you’re grateful for each day.
• You might be angry because you can’t express your feelings appropriately. In this case, it might help you to just be yourself. Being creative can help you be yourself through activities such as drawing, creative writing, painting, coloring in a coloring book or playing a musical instrument.
• Spirituality can help you become more understanding of the feelings of others, of life or gain meaning and a sense of purpose. You can try being more spiritual by praying, doing meditation or yoga. Attend church services if you’d like. Head to the Teen Central website and click the Learn tab then Spirituality for more information.
• You can try focusing on something else by reading a good book, watching a humorous movie or anything positive activity that you enjoy that will take your mind off things.
• Even though people don’t get paid for volunteer work it has many benefits for health and happiness. If you can’t improve your own life, it can feel even better to change someone else’s with even the smallest efforts. You can join a charity by reading books to children, walking a dog at a homeless shelter or donate extra food or clothing to a homeless shelter. Foster or adopt a pet who needs someone’s love from a pet shelter. You can even do things for the environment at home by planting a garden for butterflies or birds to enjoy. You can also volunteer online. Websites like Volunteermatch are great places to find a good fit. Volunteering can help you gain a new perspective on life by seeing how others may have less than you and suffer more.
• You can gain empathy by learning about the suffering of others in books or educational documentaries about poverty, animal welfare or how the world is negatively affected by things like climate change.
• You can try taking your mind off things by joining a team sport or focus on getting good grades in school so you can have the best future you can make for yourself.
• Staying hopeful each day will keep you from spiraling out of control. Always have something small or big to look forward to.
• If you make small efforts each day to improve your situation, you can make progress to become more positive again. Your life is important so it’s best not to waste it on anger that you don’t deserve to be tortured by.

HELP YOURSELF:

• In what ways can committing to a positive mindset change your life for the better?
• In what ways is being constantly angry a waste of time?
• How can you benefit from focusing on what’s really important in life?
• How can helping others make you feel like your life matters and help you forget about your anger?