Is it a sign of anxiety when you obsessively fold or tear paper in your hands?

It can be a sign. If it happens in triggering situations. While having anxiety attacks you might try to cope with it and try to relax and while some People are doing breath Training you could be fold or tear paper.

It could be, yes. It could also be a sign of something else, or simply a habit. You would need to take many other factors in to consideration. If you would like to learn more about anxiety, check out the 7 Cups anxiety guide.

Depends. If it's compulsive as well as obsessive, then it's possible you have OCD (which can have anxiety-like symptoms, as well as it's own). Otherwise, it may just be a way to calm yourself down. I always count by fours to calm myself down, and I can only do fours. Anything else won't work. But I don't have OCD; it's just a coping mechanism. It's because mine isn't necessarily obsessive and compulsive; it's just my preferred coping mechanism. So it depends on whether it's obsessive AND compulsive.

For me, fidgeting can be a sign of anxiety, but usually its more of a way for me to manage and/or cope with the anxiety. I may doodle, move my leg repeatedly, click a pen, fold/tear paper, scratch my head or any other number of things to release the excess energy. Sometimes these behaviors are a signal to me that I need to get up and move. Going on a brisk walk or jog or even channeling that energy into something like heavy cleaning (scrubbing, vacuuming, sorting/organizing) can relieve my anxiety but also give my body a workout to actually calm me down.

Personally, I think it could mean way too many things and no one here can tell you unless they are a professional and they dig deeper on why you do it, in which circumstances, etc. It could be your way to relax, it could be your way to cope. We do not know you so we can not really jump to conclusion. I personally have been diagnosed with anxiety but I never fold and/or tear paper, while many other people might. So, in conclusion, I feel like it is a very personal thing and no one but a professional can tell you if you have anxiety or not.

Or even OCD. So it can be or itcan be something else. thats all depends why it happens, how often and such.

Yes. but it is also a sign on OCD it depends on how you feel. if you need to do it then it is ocd and if you feel like you need to do it but know you dont ned it to live then it is anxiety