EMOTION THESAURUS

NERVOUSNESS



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HELPFUL TIP:

The inner landscape of your characters (especially your protagonist) is the lifeblood that runs through your story. Emotions, and how they're expressed, are tied deeply to a character’s personality and which positive traits and negative traits will manifest. To bring your readers in deeper through shared experience, consider filtering the setting descriptions through your character’s emotions while also exploring important colors, textures, and shapes through his or her senses.
DEFINITION:
The state of feeling unsettled and being easily agitated

PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND BEHAVIORS:
Short, jerky movements
Pacing
Rapid blinking
Rubbing the back of the neck
Unbuttoning the top button of a shirt
Scratching or rubbing skin
Biting at lips
Jumpiness
Flighty hand movements, fidgeting
Clumsiness
Rubbing hands down one's pant legs
A lack of eye contact
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INTERNAL SENSATIONS:
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MENTAL RESPONSES:
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CUES OF ACUTE OR LONG TERM NERVOUSNESS:
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MAY ESCALATE TO:
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CUES OF SUPPRESSED NERVOUSNESS:
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MAY DE-ESCALATE TO:
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ASSOCIATED POWER VERBS:
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