Rocking

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I inherited my rocking from my mother, who is also on the spectrum. Rocking is very important to me. It's my favorite way to listen to music- which is also very important to me. Ideally, I rock to music at least once a day, to at least a few songs. It's extremely therapeutic, and feels amazing.

I rocked before I walked. In fact, I rocked before I could stand up on my own- I clung to the wall of my crib, rocking back and forth to the Star Wars theme. lol

When I rock, I usually stand- I swing my head from side to side, as opposed to doing "the bobble head". I prefer to rock with my whole body- my head can kinda hurt if that's all I rock. Rocking feels best after a busy day. Sometimes I'll rock after doing something that excites me, like watching a really good or thought-provoking movie. I rock after movies or special events all the time.

Actually, one could say I'm an addict. I go to college, and I have to sneak off to rock all the time, sometimes every day. All that knowledge- and social interaction- is very intense for me. I'll do it in bathroom stalls, but because some people could see me, I prefer to try and find an empty classroom.

It depends. If I'm sitting level, I'll usually rock. If I'm sitting on a chair/bench or anything similar I'll constantly be tapping my legs. It can look odd, but that's not really my concern.

I rock backwards/forwards when alone or around only a few I feel comfortable around. But I rock side to side a lot in public, I find side to side tends to get less attention for some reason. Which I don't understand but if it means people leave me alone when I need it then that's ok by me

I generally don't do that, and that was even a reason for me to consider I might not be an Aspie. I just have no real urge to rock, not even in a meltdown. I tried it and it feels kinda good, but I just don't do it on my own initiative.

I sometimes like to rock left and right when I'm standing though, especially when I'm impatient. I put my hands on my hips and just sway from one side to another. Looks stupid I guess.

I do rock sometimes, just not when other people can see me. One thing I have noticed myself doing is this little "bouncy" thing whenever something happens that I like or makes me happy or laugh. It usually occurs when I'm seated and the way it works is that I just sort of "lurch" or "bounce" backwards against the backrest of a chair or couch. It's kinda like rocking, only not repetitive.

I've done it for years, although Mom can't remember if I did it as a kid. I LOVE to rock. It's very soothing to me, although I have to say that most of the time I do it unconsciously. If I'm not rocking, I'm shaking my leg or drumming my fingers or doing anything that makes me move. I tried to be very conscious of my rocking a few years ago to find out what was causing it. The only thing I noticed is that I would slowly start "oscillating" -- little tiny rocks started first with the rhythm of my heartbeat, and they would get more and more sweeping until I'm in full rocking mode.

My rocking is traditionally been back and forth. But recently -- in the last 6 months? -- I've started also rocking side to side, and if I find myself leaning on my arms, on a counter or whatever, I'll rock the bottom half of my body while the top half is held still by my arms. My rocking just in general has increased quite a bit in the last couple of months, but can't peg why. I have some stress and anxiety issues right now, but nothing worse than I've had many times.

I've discovered that ANY rhythmic activity gives me the same relaxing feeling -- chopping veggies, listening to music, sweeping the porch, raking leaves, brushing our dog.

I'm not sure why, but it seems like I've done probably every other stim I've ever thought of or heard of, except for rocking, for most of my life. I think I have done it a couple of times, but it was never one that I did regularly.

I rocked as a child, but my parents forced me to stop. I realized that I started doing it again a few months ago. I also sway side to side while standing, I don't know if that counts as rocking.

I rock way too much, but it starts subconsciously and makes me feel so much better, so I don't bother to stop.

I usually stop if someone asks me what the hell I'm doing, though, haha.
I also rock in bed, sort of just with my shoulders/ head.

I rock - usually back and forth.
And I pace - usually around the island in the kitchen, heels to the corners of the tiles. When I wait for the bus I pace back and forth and either follow cracks or the concrete 'tiles' downtown.

I know I already posted in this thread, but I just have to say: I'm rocking right at this moment while listening to music and browsing the web, reading the forum. While trying to compose my posts, and reading posts of others, I find that I'm rocking back and forth... to soother myself, I guess. I dunno, maybe I'm a little tense. I feel relaxed, though, it's weird.

I started rocking more over the past half year or so. Ever since I was small, I had the sensation I was rocking back and forth. I guess it was so subtle that no one noticed. I remember going to my grandma's house for holidays and she had a rocking chair that I loved! I'd sit cross legged in it and rock back and forth to make the chair rock.
Recently, I've been rocking more often, much more noticeably and not really noticing that I started doing it. It feels kinda weird when I'm in public and I suddenly realize I'm doing it.

I was rocking forward-backward in the train last Friday. It was in public and the train was full of people. After a few seconds (or minutes; I am not sure), I was perfectly aware of what I was doing, but it felt good, so I did not care and kept rocking.

Another kind of stimming I have been doing a lot lately is moving my fingers quickly, as if my hands were Thing, from The Addams Family:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_pMlnOxotA[/youtube]

I go through stages where I do different repetitive actions, I did rocking about 8 months ago.

I have full control over whether or not I do these things (except leg shaking, repeating sounds, and ticks), and often do them on purpose because I feel like it.

I had my apartment to myself the other day and noticed myself starting to rock and stopped several times over a span of about ten minutes. Up until then I stopped when I realized I was doing it.

I decided to not stop myself and let myself rock and try to not pay attention to it. I was rocking most of the evening! It's as if I opened the flood gates and I'm doing it all the time now. I'm even rocking as I type this!

Before I started suspecting I was on the spectrum, my rocking was so subtle that no one really noticed it!

I'm pretty much working under the assumption that my brain may be predisposed to rocking (and stiming in general), and now that I'm letting it happen, it's reinforcing itself in my barin.

I don't mind doing it (when I'm alone). It's getting to a point where I don't even notice it.

I do, but ONLY when I am alone.