This article originally appeared in Psychology Today.
When we think of anxiety or a person who is anxious, we may think of someone panicking, hyperventilating, or crying. That can be the experience of anxiety, but it’s not always that obvious for children, adolescents, or young adults. Anxiety is an internal physiological and cognitive experience that can be all-consuming and consistent. There are days when anxiety is stronger and there are days when anxiety is quieter. There are times when anxiety is triggered by a scent or a thought, and sometimes, it can be triggered by seemingly nothing at all.