Sometimes your child’s anxiety doesn’t look like anxiety. It doesn’t always come across as worry, fear, or even nervousness. At times, it shows up in less expected ways — irritability, shutdown, defiance, or what might look like “attitude.” A child snaps over something small. A teen pulls away from something they usually enjoy. A young adult procrastinates or seems unmotivated. From the outside, it can look like unexpected or even unacceptable behavior. Underneath, it may be distress.