To sign "anxiety," start with both hands in bent '5' handshapes, resembling loose claws, with your palms facing your body. Position your hands in front of your chest or stomach. Move your hands in alternating, small circular motions as if your stomach is churning, and make sure to include a worried or distressed facial expression to convey the feeling.
Sign "test," then sign "anxiety" while showing a strong worried facial expression to emphasize how intense the nervous feeling is before the exam.
Sign "breathe" deeply, then sign "anxiety" followed by "decrease" or "calm down," showing a transition from a worried face to a relaxed one.
Point to the person, sign "anxiety," and raise your eyebrows while leaning forward slightly to turn the statement into a yes/no question.
Sign "test," then sign "anxiety" while showing a strong worried facial expression to emphasize how intense the nervous feeling is before the exam.
Sign "breathe" deeply, then sign "anxiety" followed by "decrease" or "calm down," showing a transition from a worried face to a relaxed one.
Point to the person, sign "anxiety," and raise your eyebrows while leaning forward slightly to turn the statement into a yes/no question.
They are very similar and sometimes used interchangeably, but 'nervous' is often signed with shaking hands pointing downward, while 'anxiety' uses the churning, circular motion against the chest or stomach to show a deeper internal distress.
The exact direction of the circles isn't strictly ruled, but they typically move in an alternating, inward-rolling motion. The most important part is that the hands alternate to create a continuous 'churning' visual effect.
You can adjust the intensity of the sign to show severity. For severe anxiety, make the churning motion slightly faster and more tense, and exaggerate your distressed facial expression. For mild anxiety, use a smaller, softer motion.
