16yr Old Rage

[bevelbee]

When my 16yr old becomes angry, the rage builds up to a point where it seems there is a demon inside of him. He is irrational, hyperventilates, looks like he is going to explode. In your book, Yes your teen is crazy, you liken this state to an epileptic fit which has to take its course. In a public situation, it is very difficult to allow the rage to take its course. Are there tools to deal with a person when they reach this stage of being unable to be reached? Is there a possibility of violence - in my son's case, he is able to remove himself, but I feel he then becomes a danger to himself.

[Mike Bradley]

Dear Parent,
First, it would be best to chat directly with a therapist to get the best answer about what might be going on with your son to insure that there is nothing else going on that bears treatment. If the rages are only occasional, then they likely are normal and will pass without any violence.
The best response is to simply withdraw immediately, whether i private or public. You need to give his brain a strong message that raging gets him nothing in return---not your pleading, sympathy or anger---just NOTHING!
After he's calm, then do the talking thing about how to stop that from ever happening again.
Keep us posted.