When Anxiety Makes You Angry: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anger Management

When reflecting on how anxiety manifests in children and teenagers, we often envision its classic signs such as excessive nervousness in new environments, tension before exams, or even panic attacks. However, aggression as a reaction to anxious circumstances is equally valid. Since you are reading this book, your teenager likely reacts to anxiety with fighting more often than in other ways. When they experience stress, their brain and body gear up to defend their position and self-protect.

This book is organized like a long-term therapy, where skills are mastered one by one. The teenager will learn to identify what is happening behind the veil of their anger. They will gradually begin to recognize their own thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns so that angry reactions do not occur automatically. They will acquire skills to cope with stress and ways to alleviate the intensity of anger and anxiety. They will learn how to solve problems without jumping to conclusions and without getting upset by failures. They will learn not to dwell on negativity, to let go of situations, and to move forward.

When they finish this book, they will already have a list of practical ways to further strengthen these skills independently or with the support of a psychologist.

Kelsey Torgerson Dunn