Anger is a normal part of adolescence and can be a healthy emotional response to outside stressors. Anger is a secondary emotion for teens as it often masks other underlying issues including sadness, hurt, fear, and shame. When these underlying emotions become too much, a teen will often respond by lashing out.
It's not unusual for a teen to be angry, sometimes really angry. Because adolescents are changing so much—physically, mentally, and socially—and face many big decisions, their emotions can be especially volatile.
It's not unusual for teens' moods to shift quickly and for their emotional responses to be strong. That's due, in part, to the developmental changes in brain activity and to the fluctuations in hormones that happen in an adolescent's body.
There was more variation among girls than among boys in how happy or sad they were, but both genders had a similar rate of change overall. By 18 years old, most of the emotional hills and valleys had given way to a more gentle landscape.
Mood swings are a normal part of puberty
It's common for them to feel confused, scared or angry and not know why. They also might be more sensitive and become more easily upset than usual.
Getting into physical fights at school or at home with siblings. Excessive arguing with parents, teachers, peers, siblings, etc. Excessive emotional outbursts and rage. Frequent irritability.
Teens will naturally have an apathetic or dismissive attitude about anything other than what immediately interests them. And when you focus on trying to change your child's attitude, you're setting yourself up for frustration. Indeed, it's a mistake to try to change your child's attitude.
A bad temper is a red-flag that should never, ever be ignored or overlooked. A short fused partner can be a sign of more dangerous things to come, especially if that partner reveals their anger issues early on in the relationship.
What causes anger issues? Many things can trigger anger, including stress, family problems, and financial issues. For some people, anger is caused by an underlying disorder, such as alcoholism or depression. Anger itself isn't considered a disorder, but anger is a known symptom of several mental health conditions.
It can be really concerning if the outbursts are dangerous to the child or others, cause problems at home and school, and makes the child feel as if they can't control their anger. A lot of anger in children is usually a sign that they are frustrated or in distress. It's important to identify the source.
An imbalance in your hormones is often the root of the crankiness issue, and when you focus on bringing these hormones back to their optimal levels, you can find that irritability quickly fading away.
Young people may experience higher risk of mental health issues with early puberty. Those most frequent in the teenage years include anxiety and depression, eating disorders, conduct disorder (serious antisocial behaviour), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self-harm.
Generally, the first major signs of puberty are getting taller and the beginning of breast changes. Rapid changes in a girl's height happen later. Pubic hair often appears next, followed by the beginning of menstrual periods, full breast maturity, and the release of eggs from the ovary every month (ovulation).
Emotions that can Trigger
Because anger is easier to feel, it can distract you from experiencing and healing the pain you feel inside. Among the most triggering primary emotions is frustration. Frustration is often experienced when you are feeling helpless or out of control.
People often express their anger in different ways, but they usually share four common triggers. We organize them into buckets: frustrations, irritations, abuse, and unfairness.
Common roots of anger include fear, pain, and frustration. For example, some people become angry as a fearful reaction to uncertainty, to fear of losing a job, or to fear of failure. Others become angry when they are hurt in relationships or are caused pain by close friends.
Your 13-year-old daughter is more likely to display independent behavior. She may experience occasional mood swings -- she may want to spend time with you one minute, and a few moments later, she may suddenly behave rudely. At times, she exudes confidence, whereas other times she may become occupied with self-doubts.
Most 13-year-old teens are dealing with the emotional and physical changes that accompany puberty, so it's normal for your teen to feel uncertain, moody, sensitive, and self-conscious at times. During this time, it becomes more important than ever to fit in with peers.