One 14-year-old girl from Wales said: “When I get really mad, I throw things, break things, shout, swear. I scare myself honestly”
A growing number of youngsters have sought support from Childline for anger issues over the past year. New data shows the helpline, which is run by the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), delivered close to 3,000 counselling sessions about the issue, online and over the phone — a 6% increase on the previous 12 months.
The rise in contact on the topic has made anger issues a top ten mental health concern for both genders contacting the service. This data gives insight into a generation increasingly struggling to manage and control their emotions in the face of a range of pressures at home, school and online.
A boy of secondary school age in Wales said: “My friend massively embarrassed me in front of this girl I like. I’m so angry about it, all I want to do is hit him even though I know that’s not the best way to deal with it. I need someone to talk me out of it or take this anger away.”
A 14-year-old girl from Wales said: “When I get really mad, I throw things, break things, shout, swear. I scare myself honestly but it’s so hard to find things that actually work to calm me down. Childline helps, but only when I haven’t broken my phone in anger.”
Counselling sessions delivered by Childline reveal several recurring themes when children are discussing anger. Some are struggling with regulating their emotions during challenging situations and often experience frustration with parents and peers following disagreements. Others share that they are aggressively criticising themselves.
One nine-year-old girl told Childline: “I feel so angry all the time, shouting is just how I express myself. When my parents shout at me, I shout back. They tell me to talk in arguments and tell people how I feel but no one cares, no one listens unless I shout.”
Childline director Shaun Friel said: “The fact that children are reaching out for help about their anger issues reflects the growing emotional challenges young people face in today’s complex world.
“At Childline, we’re seeing first-hand how pressures at home, school, online and in communities are affecting children’s ability to manage and deal with difficult emotions.
“This Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to emphasise how crucial it is for children to learn healthy ways to process and express their feelings. We are also reminding young people that our counsellors are here to provide that safe space and can help them to learn vital skills for their wellbeing.”
The service has been working with children’s mental health charity, Place2Be, to advise on looking after mental wellbeing. Their tips include talking to someone you trust; finding healthy outlets, like physical activities and creative expression, for emotions; and taking care of your body with regular sleep, a healthy diet and exercise.
Dr Rebecca Kirkbride, clinical director at Place2Be, said: “At Place2Be, we know that learning to express and process emotions healthily during childhood builds resilience and establishes positive coping mechanisms that serve young people throughout their lives.
“The rise in children seeking support for issues related to anger, as highlighted by Childline’s data, demonstrates the importance of early intervention and teaching children healthy ways to process emotions.
“By creating safe spaces where young people feel heard and validated, we can help them develop the emotional vocabulary and self-regulation skills needed to navigate complex feelings, without expressing feelings through angry or aggressive behaviour — which may have implications for themselves or others around them.”
