Therapist's Video Goes Viral As She Highlights 15 Subtle Ways Children Express Anxiety That Parents Often Overlook

Living with anxiety is a lifelong battle that requires focused attention to control and even overcome. While millions of adults understand what it's like to have this constant and unwanted companion following their every decision, it often returns to where it all began: childhood.

An alarming number of children are suffering from anxiety, but many are unable to receive treatment due to various factors. One of these factors is that parents frequently miss warning signs that can appear in a variety of subtle ways.

Dr. Lawrence Cohen, a child psychologist and expert in playful parenting, notes, "Children often communicate their anxiety through play and behaviors that may seem insignificant to adults." He offers valuable insights on his professional website, playfulparenting.com. Dr. Cohen guides parents on how to recognize these signals, helping them understand their children's feelings, from "I don't want to go to school" to "I'm scared of the dark." So keep scrolling to learn more about it, and continue reading to find out the discussion it sparked on the platform.

Melissa Griffing, LPC, RPT, gained popularity on TikTok after posting 15 subtly expressive forms of anxiety in children that parents frequently miss

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A growing number of kids are living with anxiety, but several factors keep many from receiving treatment

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Parents frequently fail to recognize anxiety in children because it can present itself differently in children than it does in adults, despite being one of the most common mental health issues in children and adolescents. Research indicates that children's anxiety and sadness are on the rise, which is cause for concern.

Kids talk about anxiety

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And here are ways they do

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Numbers 1-3

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Numbers 4-6

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Numbers 7-9

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Numbers 10-12

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Numbers 13-15

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The therapist with her family

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To ensure that little ones don't feel overlooked, ignored, or alone, it's crucial to have conversations about mental health and what disorders like anxiety can look like in children.

The entire video, which has received more than a million views, is available for you to watch below

In a subsequent video, Melissa shared advice on how to assist children in overcoming anxiety

In a different video, she suggested that reading books about worry can improve children's ability to identify it

She concluded by offering guidance on how to assist kids who worry too much about everything

Melissa told Dr. Ramani Durvasula, clinical psychologist, in an interview:

“Children often lack the vocabulary to express their feelings of anxiety. Instead, they may say things like, ‘My tummy hurts’ or ‘I don’t want to go.’ These expressions are their way of communicating discomfort and avoidance of anxiety-inducing situations, which I frequently hear from both children and their parents.”

Melissa's observations were praised by viewers, who also shared their own stories in the comments section

Leia_Solo

My tummy hurts

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When this user was a kid

Nicole Edwards

This user's son uses most of the statements

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What this commenter's baby says

Kiarah G

Oh my

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In a span of a day

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The biggest overlooked one

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I'm not hungry

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The anxiety realization

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My stomach hurts

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How do I help?

Clair Groves

This commenter said these a lot

@mama2bubba&beans

There are a lot of people

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Having a much easier time

Kat Norris

Woah

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They're hurting her

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This Redditor is already in tears

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My baby every day

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My legs hurt

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Anxiety can be discomforting, especially for a child in his or her formative years, but with proper identification or diagnosis, this condition can be effectively managed. Most importantly, these children can go about their lives normally.

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section below.