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maladaptivedreamer952

Oct 08, 2012

To: mishymoto

Maladaptive Day Dreaming and I love it too. Best. Thing. Ever.

maladaptivedreamer952

Oct 08, 2012

To: lagrande

Just go back to the Bottom of the screen and There's an Explanation from me... Don't you laugh until you've looked it up.

maladaptivedreamer952

Oct 08, 2012

P.S. The rocking/ pacing is often mistaken for OCD. Do no take any unnecessary meds if you don't have other symtoms (symptoms) of OCD or you're unsure...

nocturnal9

Oct 10, 2012

To: paulhorn31

I'm 39 and i still rock back and forth and of course alone in the dark with the music blasting been doing that ever since i was a child . I been hearing it is newly discovered disorder i find this kinda funny.I think MD has been around longer than doctors . In fact since 1976 i been doing that i do it sometimes hour or two its a work out and its is healthy for you .When i was younger i used to bonce on the couch for hours and did the same thing breaking the springs in the couch i think my parents had to replace two couchs because of me .I enjoyed that more than anything . Because when you daydream you can be anyone . I use to daydream being a or a super hero . when i was done well i would go face reality with a smile . I'm glad I'm not alone

AshleyCL11

Nov 03, 2012

To: Pauledh

Oh my goodness!!!! I'm fourteen and my name is Ashley! I ALWAYS do that! I am always using my free time listening to my iPod "bouncing my head" (my dad called it) and I've been doing it since I was... Well.... FOREVER!!! It never really took my education away or anything... But it's just like taking a hot shower!!! I just sit there rocking back and forth on my couch thinking about life! It's so crazy! Sometimes I can't go to bed without listening to music and bouncing my head! I'm actually doing it right now... Haha... I was just sitting there rocking and said to myself ,"I'm a freak!! What really Is this!?" so now I'm kind of happy I'm not the only one!!!!Oh my goodness!!!! I'm fourteen and my name is Ashley! I ALWAYS do that! I am always using my free time listening to my iPod "bouncing my head" (my dad called it) and I've been doing it since I was... Well.... FOREVER!!! It never really took my education away or anything... But it's just like taking a hot shower!!! I just sit there rocking back and forth on my couch thinking about life! It's so crazy! Sometimes I can't go to bed without listening to music and bouncing my head! I'm actually doing it right now... Haha... I was just sitting there rocking and said to myself ,"I'm a freak!! What really Is this!?" so now I'm kind of happy I'm not the only one!!!!

RogueDiplomat

Nov 10, 2012

I guess so many of us felt weird and unique. I am 59 year old male. When I was a kid, I used to bang my head against to pillow to get to sleep. I also "body rocked" two ways: I would either bang my back/head rocking on a couch (it left scratches along the wood paneling), or grasp the underside and rock back and forth, almost always to music. There was always some element of anxiety or stress, and this would just let my mind flow--pure escapism from whatever was stressing me out. This went on in high school, where I was a straight A student, and college, when I would lock my door, blast the music and rock gripping the underside of my bed. But unlike high school, outside the "safety" of my home, in college I struggled, drank a lot, chain-smoked cigarettes, smoked pot, did not attend classes--again, total avoidance of the anxiety and stress of exams, classes, etc. By 20, I had already failed one year. The rocking stopped when I met my GF, but the drinking and avoidance behavior continued. I quit drinking at 24, finished school with the help of a counselor and Valium. Avoidance continued to be a pattern; I never planned anything, was unorganized, avoided responsibility, and always found jobs that suited my temperament and creativity (I can write). I spent years in therapy and on meds for anxiety and mild depression and panic attacks. I was a serial monogomist but never married until I was 36. My wife and I did not want kids. We wanted to live like Bohemians in NYC's East Village. When I took a job as an information overseas, "we" became pregnant-I was 48! (my wife is 14 years younger). At 50, we had another baby to keep his brother company. I wasn't until my oldest was pre-school and kindergarten that teachers noticed his lack of attention and day dreaming (no body-rocking though). He was ultimately diagnosed with ADD (not hyper) and dyslexia. After reading up on it, I concluded--and my wife agreed-- that I was probably adult ADD. The lack of planning, follow-through, task-managing, paying bills and taxes on time, the inability to focus on things I did not like-- it all made sense. Then I remembered the body-rocking and head-banging-- escapism. Drugs and alcohol (I quit drinking when I was 24)--escapism. No responsibilities, house, kids--escapism (but an acceptable choice!). Years of therapy and meds helped me deal with the anxiety, but not ADD. I went of ADD medication.. suddenly I was focused, task-oriented, a planner, list-maker, following through on problems at work and at home. No more avoidance or escapism. But there was a downside: my creative, exuberant, irreverent, sensual, fun side took a serious hit.... Loss of libido, irritability, impatience, anger. Always into physicality, sensuality, and I admit vanity, I stopped caring about sex or working out. Other side effects were pre-mature ejaculation, insomnia, taking way too much, mood swings. I will probably drop the medication--maybe seek some other.... I sometimes long for the days of self-soothing body-rocking! I never wanted to grow up and it worked for me in terms of good and interesting jobs, creative interesting friends, world travel... I love my 2 sons, now 9 and 11, but they made me try and grow up when I was doing what I wanted when I wanted to. They made me need money, something that was never really important to me...Selfishness or freedom? I just gave up my last "soother"--cigarettes-- on doctor's orders. In many ways, pushing 60, the old me is gone. I cannot body-rock again..

bucknut

Nov 16, 2012

wow,i am in complete shock. i am 42 yrs old and just thought to google this thing i have been doing my entire life, not as much now due to work and kids , only in times of stress nowadays, but i actually miss doing it, loved listening to music endlessly either sitting on the floor indian style or when i was smaller on the couch bouncing against the back of couch, and i would also lay on my stomach and pound or bounce my head on my pillow aydreaming to music to the point of exhaustion. i have heard all kinds of theories on this site. i had a loving mother who was divorced but was alone alot due to her work schedule. i saw a comment earlier that struck me, a lady called it a "gift" and i could not agree more. to me it is like meditation. i am glad to know i am not the only person on earth who did/does this. whew!

bucknut

Nov 16, 2012

nycsasha

Nov 26, 2012

To: Everyone

As many others have noted, this is incredible to have found a group of people who have what I have...I feel a lot less isolated.

I think I fall someplace in the middle- I body rocked a lot, lot, growing up, through childhood, teens, twenties and now into my thirties.  I have great friends and am happily married.  I did well in school, although I would have done much, much better if I hadn't rocked so many daily hours away.  I always  rocked backwards and forwards to music.

I agree that it is a release from anxiety, a trip to a fantasy world, a kind of escapism and also a creative outlet.  When I was young, I'd put the Nutcracker on the turntable and rock through the whole thing, choreographing the dance in my head.  I was a weird kid!  It definitely helped me process trauma, but it's kept me from pursuing other interests.

I do it less than before, but certainly several hours a day (in private), while I watch tv at night and when I watch dumb tv at home.  I can go days without doing this, so I don't think I'm quite as addicted as some...

Here's the thing- I want to control this but I don't want to lose this completely.  I think I'm going to put an hour max daily limit to start with, and just recently I've started to make sure that I do other things too, like meditate and read good books and spend time socially.  In other words, I want to preserve rocking as a creative, emotional outlet but make sure it has a proper place in my leisure time.

Has anyone successfully pared down this habit, and if so do you have any advice to share?  I am amazed that after 30+ years I just found out I'm not alone.  This is amazing.  Thanks to everyone who posted on this forum.

hellokuttey

Nov 28, 2012

To: Hev

Im seventeen and have rocked for about 2 years I started after I decided i was just to old to play with toy horses ( I used to play with toy horses to music making up my on fansties, immuture I know) so I stopped and thats when I started rocking i took over most of my life so ive tried to stop now i throw objects in the air and catch them to music and go in my on little world
I wish I knew why I did this and i want to stop before have no life its annoying but when I don't do it i get even more depressed and think of suicide way more ugh just can't win.

Joshuabenjoseph

Dec 19, 2012

To: SuzeeCueZee

I have suffered the exact same thing.Rocked away years and years listening to music and dreaming.Thought i was the only one.Can't believe I'm not.At one stage it was truly chronic.43 now and still do it,but not as often.

foxchick727

Dec 19, 2012

To: petra2010

this is so amazing to hear ive been doing this since i could remember and i tell no one i do this. i never thought anyone was like me

bookauthor68

Dec 29, 2012

To: nycsasha

wow this is blowing my mind! I feel i have kin now lol seriously.. my whole family has always done this.. my mom my grandma on my moms sides.. my sisters my aunts and a couple of my uncles and me. My grandmother told me once its a security thing i do this a lot and have done all the ways mentioned here. I am 43 and have always done this rocking. now its like if i donthave a couple hours a day to rock and think I will go nuts. I am able to dream and at the same time im able to fix alot of my life problems thinking them through this way. when im in pain rocking makes me feel better.i do this owrse then anyone of my sublings.. my daughters rock also.wow so glad i have found all of you. I am a published athor and now i wonder if i shouldnt write a book about this..

anonymous527

Jan 03, 2013

To: Nativepridegirl

hi i do exactly the same thing. i am 13 with autism. i cannot get away for a hole day unles i rock back and forth on my bed listening to my music.

jl756

Jan 03, 2013

Funny I've never Googled this before.  I'm 55 and have been rocking as long as I remember.  I think I do it mostly in private now, although I do occasionally catch myself rocking when I'm in a meeting at work.  I'm sure my wife observes it, but after 30 years of marriage she probably doesn't notice it anymore.:-)  It make me feel good, and it helps me concentrate. I don't have a problem with it.

Some of what I read in this thread resonates with me.  My mom was institutionalized for two years when I was two years old. I definitely used to rock to music for hours and hours when I was young.  I never connected it with day dreaming, although I may not properly distinguish between "thinking" and "day dreaming." :-)

I've have a good career in management consulting and have now been working in Silicon Valley for 10 years.  They appreciate odd balls out there.  Rockers on this thread might appreciate the following video, starting at about 3:30.  Yes, Bill Gates has a rocking disorder too. :-)

http://poshhill.blogspot.com/2007/12/my-family.html

JGF25

Jan 04, 2013

To: j756

Oh wow....what an interesting video. I never knew that Bill Gates did that. I'm wondering if he does it all the time though or whether he does have a measure of control. I'll have to try to find some other videos of him. What I do is not a hinderance to my lifestyle and I don't spend hours doing it either. It is kind of something that just happens...leg going back and forth when sitting..that kind of thing. Maybe more related to ADHD than OCD but who knows.

Thank you for sharing and for letting people know that even body rockers can be hugely successful! Have a great body rockin' day!

JGF25

Jan 04, 2013

To: j756

FYI...the first part of the video is from his antitrust hearing against microsoft. This is clearly a stressful situation and I have no doubt now that he is body rocking to alleviate the anxiety he is feeling.

tikatiff1981

Jan 04, 2013

To: kendz

Hi my name is Tiffany. Your story is almost exactly like mine. I've been doing this I think since I was 10. I'm now 31yrs old. I always seem to only do it wen time for bed till I fall asleep and can be up to like 6-10hrs! And wen I wake up in the morning, then it'll all a sudden stop. I thought it was only wen I didn't feel good but it's every day! In my last relationship it was a problem cuz it would rock the bed so I'd have to go sleep on couch till it stopped. (makes me tear up just thinking about it) and its embarrassing so I'll shut door so I can't get caught. I now live back at home and mom yells at me if she catches me and has said harsh things liks like oh my gawd your an enbarresment or look at yourself in mirror u look like ur having a seizure or o god ur sick again?! I've tried everything to stop. Even wen I am sick I'll rock on purpose cuz it makes me feel better. Maybe cuz it keeps my mind focused on it? I actually was just rocking here in bed about an hr then all a sudden I stopped so I got out my iPad and looked this up. Is there a name for this? A medication to stop? It's not restless leg syndrome. Help plz :(

drifter362

Jan 07, 2013

To: nycsasha

Hello, I think you have a good understanding of where your rocking comes from and its good you are trying to limit it, but you can stop entirely if you really want to. The feeling of security and contentment when rocking can be felt all the time, well that is my experience anyway. Its not an easy road though, I had to have psychotherapy, you can also use self help books but its important to get all your anger out in a controlled way. I think if people body rock and say they never feel angry, it is because the anger is burried deep. I didnt think I was angry until I started therapy and its a shock when it comes out but it will free you. Hope this helps.

m4malinda

Jan 21, 2013

To: Body rocking

I am now 45, I didn't start really rocking, mainly, especially to put myself to sleep. I started in my late 30's. My current mate, complains but I can't NOT do it. Also, I did it before we got together, so....! However, I didn't realize it being OCD. Interesting... thanks

feelinggoodrocking

Jan 27, 2013

To: Body Rocking

Wow! I came accross this site while in fact body rocking and surfing the net. I started at about the age of 5. I remeber being in middle school and "rocking" against the chain link fence (not that comfortable) in the play ground. My mom still tells the story of the teacher bringing it up to her and that that I was influencing some of the other kids to do it just by them watching me.I was tested for autisum but never diagnosed. Shortly after that age I moved my "rocking" into my bedroom behind locked doors. I too have spent around 21 years rocking and find it hard too do much else while in this mindset. I only reserve body rocking as a weekend activity while my wife is at work. I love sitting with my laptop and 1TB of music and rocking against my bed while daydreaming and surfing the internet. Around age 16 I started using marijuana and love how much deeper trance I can get into while under the influence and body rocking. I do suffer from social anxiety but have never let it affect my life. In fact most people I work with describe me as very personable and outgoing. I have tried to explain this activity to my wife but it seems she just accepts it but I fear she doesn't truley understand it. I had no idea that there were so many of usout there. God bless the Internet. Also I find if I spend some of this time clinching and unclinching my stomach muscles it has led to a really nice 6 pack. I do suffer from sore knees after long periods and take a short break when I feel pain. I also enjoy rocking this way late at night with the lights off and find myself falling asleep while rocking. With that I turn off my laptop and crawl into bed for some of the best rest ever. I also don't know if I will ever stop as the pressure throughout the weekdays leaves me craving the rocking time by the weekend.

SweetBeach

Feb 01, 2013

To: The Body Rockers of America

So glad to meet all of you and read your stories!~

I am the mother of a six year old little girl who is a "rocker". She is a very loved, non-abused, creative and happy child in a stable family.Just want to put that out there for people wanting to understand the cause of this. I am not certain this is a psych thing. My girl rocks at night till she falls asleep every night and sometimes at random. This has been the case since she was about two years old. She crosses her arms and rocks from side to side. We have gone through a few cribs and beds... serta could not withstand my rocker kid! :-) She always has a huge tangled nest to comb out every morning.

But this is what I have contribute...this is the diagnosis we got from the chlidrens hospital(CHKD) about Miss Muffin. She has Auditory Processing Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder... and the rocking is a behavior that many kids with processing disorders have. She often switches between right and left hand... we are trying to get her to choose. Kids with these disorder often get lumped in with the autistic,ADD,ADHD,OCD ... when processing disorders are kinda a combination(even good doctors miss it all the time). I now understand that she needs a higher amount of sensory imput to get into a state of relaxation and even focus. So, I let her rock only at night. We went to an occupational therapist a couple of years ago(she had some early language issues) and they we able to get her to answer and think about questions while swinging on a large swing when she would not otherwise. It was night and day when she had the right sensory stimulation. She seems to do a little better with school after a small cup of coffee in the morning--- my personal idea, not medical advice--- I was told that people like her/y'all will thrive as multi-taskers when others shut down from the stress. It is no surprise that Gates is a rocker too.Think about it as a slight disconnect from right and left brain... and so your brain re-routes connections... and this is where all the behaviors and issues spur.

Now, is there a way to stop the rocking?... most likely not. You would need to replace it with something else to achieve the effect of vestibular stimuli. So, good news--- YOU ARE NOT CRAZY! Better news, there is occupational therapy that can even help adults with it. Or you can start by reading the book, "When the brain can hear".It has helped our family. It will go over all the types of processing disorders and will help you on your journey of self-discovery! I am very glad to hear that many of your have carried on to have normal lives(even with the rocking), it gives me hope.

Man I bet you all would be a fun and creative group of people to hang out with! God Bless!

JGF25

Feb 01, 2013

To: SweetBeach

I cannot thank you enough for your post. I think it will help people out tremendously and I will refer people to it when they come to the site. I rocked as a kid...drove my sisters crazy but now I pretty much just swing my leg or sway gently back and forth. My son has ADHD (Hmmmm) and he wasn't picking a hand either until I decided to pick one for him because he kept switching the pencil. He also rocked back and forth and I thought it was because he had to go to the bathroom. He takes ADHD meds but he also listens to music when he does homework..says it helps him focus. I guess that is the stimuli he needs. So now I'm thinking he may have what your child has in some form. Anyway he is 16 now and doing okay. Take care and thank you again for the information for all the body rockers out there!

indiansnoop

Feb 06, 2013

hi my sister has bounced on the couch all her life shes forty now and still does this plus at night she would rock her self to sleep to music i know that this is very embarrasing for her she was popular in school when we were growing up lots of friends but this was our family "secret" until she started getting caught doing this she got embarresd to the point she shut everyone out of her life to this day she still does this at her own home which is alright but this is all she does hides in her home she use to rock back n forth in bed with lights out when growing up till 2 times friends walked in on her she didnt open her eyes thinking it was family members and they laughed at her from then on lights were on and always watched the door, and on the couch when bouncing back and forth getting older 18 -19 she pretended to have a book on the floor so when we walked in the living room she pretended to reach for a book on floor thinking we didnt know she still did this ,one time on her own in her own home her kid was supposed to watch the door for her but being a kid lost intrest and started playing her boyfriend at the time walked in on her music blarring sister didnt know he was watching her for about 10 mins she was so devastaed she moved from her house leaving everything behind i posted this page to her showing her theres nothing wrong with her but she dosnt respond and still dosnt open up just wish my old sis would come back now shes at home in her own little world music couch to bed and music thats her life

annie0611

Feb 10, 2013

To: dingeworth

I am with you 100%. I am also a writer and can't help but connect writing to rocking. They both have a trance-like quality. I think society makes us think trances are creepy or scary, but it wasn't to me...it was just meditative and calming. It gave me some clarity to face the world. I did lose many, many hours of my life to it, but I needed it then...and I try to be proud that I found a way to care for myself. I do have an incredible amount of shame remaining from childhood. I think I started to do it as a response to trauma, but in the end and overall, it's been a positive in my life. A huge positive. Kind of like when someone starts to exercise and eat healthier following a painful break up. The catalyst is something sad, but the body's/mind's response is something wonderful.

I'd be very interested to see a study between rocking and left brain thinking.

Leehayes1993

Feb 14, 2013

To: Body rocking

I still do it at nearly 20 years old I have done all my life it's to do with comfort at times I would wake up and be half asleep and find myself rocking back and forth I mean it does get a bit imbarasing if I'm shearing a bed but I can control it to a surtain extent but when I know I can't do it to fall asleep I get really edgy but when I can rock back and forth it feels so nice ...... I mean I'd love to stop it and completely forget about it but its har

AllBahianGirl

Feb 19, 2013

To: Body Rocking

Haven't checked in for awhile. I am still on 300 mgs. of Gabapentin and Neurontin and so far no body rocking. I know the Gabapentin is working cause when I'm late re-filling the prescription the body rocking returns.

Koonstheman

Feb 21, 2013

ROCK ON!!! (How could I help myself?). Amazing. I finally had the impulse to look this up, at the too-tender age of 50.8! How great that I am not the solo rocker on our galaxy. Here are my eighteen cents about this.
I’ve been doing it since I was a baby – so I am told – so this has nothing to do with crisis response or lack of affection. When I was a toddler, I would rock back and forth and push a toy truck at the same rhythm, which I think crazed my poor mom. As I grew older, the music element entered, and it is now a sine qua non. When I was younger, I used it to transport myself onto fantasies of sporting accomplishments, especially soccer. I could envision myself doing different things on the field; sometimes, I would actually get very warm. What seems to be interesting about my experience, compared to what some have said, is that this in no way conflicted with my academic progress. Perhaps the opposite: I studied and read while doing this, books spread between my v-spread legs. As I’ve gotten much older, I use it to sort-of meditate and still to daydream. Because of the position and motion, it is very easy to feel like one is driving somewhere; it is also very easy for me to see myself on my bike, climbing mountains – this is far from unrealistic. If I bring this to a higher level of make-believe (abetted by darkness) I can fantasize about women. I use the word loosely, actually. It’d be more accurate to say that I weave episodes, even dramatic, which I may or may not transpose post-rocking. These days, I continue to read and even type while I do this. I think the most interesting thing is that while it is such an important part of my life, it is not an addiction, meaning that I can go traveling and not even notice that I haven’t done it for days. When I lived in a household with girlfriend and daughters-of-girlfriend, I didn’t notice it, but in those rare times they mercifully left me alone, I’d scurry upstairs into the guest room, assemble the pillows, pop in the CD, and let it rip. Looking at all these factors, it is actually possible that not only we do not have a problem, but we may be lucky.

JGF25

Feb 21, 2013

To: Koonstheman

It sounds like you can add maladaptive daydreaming to your body rocking. For some people it is a problem but it looks like that isn't the case for you and neither is it for me. I have morphed myself into many different scenarios. I think of it as a get away! The grass usually isn't greener in real life but it sure is in my daydreams! :)

Koonstheman

Feb 21, 2013

To: JGF25

Yes, the word "mal" doesn't necessarily fit. Maybe it should be "buonadaptive". My only concern about it is a bit like some manifestations of anemia: not a problem per se, but could it be a symptom or manifestation of something else? It is a remarkable habit, personally, because it is very hard to articulate why I like it so much unlike, for example, athletic activities.

mockingbirdsong

Mar 15, 2013

I should chime in I guess.

This is not the first time I have googled it but then again, I may have chosen different words in the search engine. I never know what to call it.

I remember passing by a window one day. I glimpsed inside and saw a kid banging his back up against the sofa. Rocking. Like me. I was flabbergasted. I thought he was nuts. I guess I've always thought myself a bit nuts as well.

I have been doing it since before I can remember. I am now nearly 45 years old. There have been few lapses, where I stopped, but they were not long really. There are also periods where I will go for hours and hours and hours. Not so much anymore because I have an infant, but I do remember it as if it were yesterday.

My father was an overbearing, depressed, verbally, emotionally, sexually and sometimes physically abuse tyrant clown. One could never know how he was going to react or behave.

My mother was overshadowed and submissive. One of my siblings will talk to neither of them anymore. She has her own weirdness.

It's not really all that bad compared to a lot of your stories so I don't know how connected it all is. All I know is I would do it to feel better. There was something about it that calms me down.

Yes, it is a time sink, however I think the worst thing about it for me is the secretiveness. I have always felt a bit of a freak.

I am very thankful to have found this post. I am with you all in what we share.

RelyJ

Mar 21, 2013

To: SuzeeCueZee

Hello!
I am 34 and have EXACTLY what you have! I've gone to doctors for years and they all make me feel crazy. All these years, I've felt completely alone. Reading your response choked me up because it spoke to me...finally! There are other people like me! I too have been embarrassed and also mortified of "getting caught" rocking. I also choose the music that I want to slip into a dream state to.
Thank you for sharing your story and for making me feel less crazy and alone :)

Abycaro

Apr 02, 2013

These stories are fascinating to me! I stumbled across this thread through something else that sparked an urge to finally google this!! I have never actually acknowledged this as an adult when I think about it.  I hav laughed out loud at some of these stores, as I know them so WELL.
I rocked on the couch for hours as a small child, my mother once said they had me checked out and everything was fine, and as I got older I must have decided that this was strange and embarrassing, and rocked or bounced on my bed on a sitting position in private, it was always to music. I seriously could do this for hours on end.  I always have associated this with a deep love for music and perhaps wanting to concentrate on it or have alone time, but as I got older I noticed I would be quite annoyed with myself after spending the greater part of a day doing it. The daydreaming comments are very interesting, I would say my daydreams are not overly extreme in nature but always about things I want to do, or imagine myself doing if I were more confident maybe.  The state of a "trance" is the perfect way to describe it.
I am 32 now, and will do this when I'm alone for an hour or so every couple of weeks, it's only when I'm alone at home, so I think living with someone really made me stop doing it as often. I can pinpoint doing it when I am tired or restless and definitely when I'm stressed.  When I think about how much I did it as a teenager shut away in my bedroom, I'm not sure how to feel really.  I definitely remember somedays not wanting to go out or avoided family and friends.  I had a very normal upbringing and don't consider myself especially OCD.
I feel quite relieved after doing it for my short bursts now, but I need to put a time limit on it so I don't feel like I've shut my self away too long or been too unproductive.   I always do it when I want to play particular music.
I wonder if this thread is still going? Like I said, I've never discussed this before in my life!

Abycaro

Apr 02, 2013

To: tikatiff1981

I definitely rock when I feel sick as well. I find it helps!

Maybe try putting a time limit on it, if you feel like its getting out of control. It helped me. Good luck

gvasques

Apr 02, 2013

To: Matcherbeck

agreed on all counts. I'm now 51 and can state for sure that, in my case, it is for pure espapism. have hidden from others and done this to music for as long as I can remember. a milder version for me is rocking standing up while talking on the phone or to myself in an attempt to gather my thoughts and make plans for the immediate future lol. also, as somebody else said it, it is my favourite way of celebrating a good event. or to run away from anything that causes anxiety. which was hell when I didn't have my own place and had to share bedrooms with others. but that was a long time ago! good rocking to all! guilherme

gvasques

Apr 02, 2013

To: Frustratedmom68

now that you mention it, anger, as well as happiness, has always been a motive for rocking. in that sense, rocking takes you to that place where you live out your fantasies, good or bad, and resolve your stress. not to say I fantasize about killing sprees or anything, but it is certainly a world where I have more control over things and am more successful. in that respect, rocking really takes you to a world where you achieve what you think is unachievable...

zenboy1863

Apr 10, 2013

Fascinating thread, glad I found it, as I've always thought my childhood/young adult rocking behavior was peculiar to me alone, and never really researched it, or talked to anyone about it, because of feelings of shame. I am 60 years old.

My older (by 2 years) brother and I both began chair/bed rocking very young, and we also developed a "language" that only the 2 of us understood, which was dealt with when our mother got us into Speech Therapy classes.  We would rock in unison while in cars, or on the couch together,  with not a care in the world, repeating nonsensical sing-song phrases in unison.  One of my cousins still remembers this, and several times over the years, when we're talking of our childhood memories, will break out in the song, but not mockingly or cruelly.

The bed rocking was very comforting and relaxing, just before sleep, either on my side or back, usually for 5-10 minutes.  I really thought nothing was "abnormal" about this, it was just something I did to relax, but as far as I can recall, no one else in the family knew about this except for my brother.  I should mention that our childhood was fairly working-class "normal", with lots of affection and caring.  We were a "hugging" family.

I went out of State for high school, and don't recall rocking at all during that time, but only when coming back home.  By this time, the chair rocking had become very excessive (I was diagnosed with a severe disc herniation in the late 80s, and had surgery last year, and I attribute the problem to all those years of fairly violent rocking), lasting up to an hour or more, always to music, in the dark, always in the basement where I had my stereo hooked up, and always afraid I'd "be caught", which I never was. I particularly recall going to extremes to make sure there would be no noise as I rocked, besides the music.  If I heard a family member coming down the stairs, I'd stop, of course, and would merely say I was chilling out to some music!

Once I got into college (late 60s-early 70s), and started dabbling in recreational drugs and alcohol, the rocking stopped.  Unfortunately, the drinking turned abusive, and then into 20 years of active alcoholism.  I quit drinking 23 years ago, but was then diagnosed with bipolar disorder 10 years ago, which I keep under control with medication.  I've always thought there is a connection between all of these behaviors.

At any rate, it's been great to know I'm not alone with this personal history, and I thank you all for your forthrightness and honesty!

JGF25

Apr 10, 2013

It is interesting that someone mentioned that they rock when they feel sick as well. I never thought about it until it was brought up, but I also rock when I am sick in bed. Other than that, I only sway sometimes when I'm standing for long periods of time or my legs are crossed and one of them is moving in and out. As a child I rocked myself to sleep but at some point that stopped. I'm glad this thread has helped so many people.

Ukbouncer

Apr 17, 2013

I am a 39 year old woman from England .... I have googled this before also.... But never stumbled on anyone the same..... I know it's not funny... But a few of these comments are so similar to my life that I also find it funny.

I've done this since I was a baby, and obviously as a child I didn't mind who saw me.... I now still do it in secret.... And in front of my children.... Who I have stopped from copying me and as far as I'm aware they don't.

I have scolliosis, not really visible but I'm sure it's because of the constant rocking. Mine is always on the settee. People did always try to stop me when I was a child... We used to have a leather panelled settee... And my grandmother used to say..... "You're going to split the settee" I'm laughing while I'm writing this because I've never really thought about it before, until I have read some of the previous comments.

I also used to get what my mother called the " bouncing tat" where my long hair used to get matted with the permanent rocking... Hahaha. One night when a family member was baby sitting me and my sister I sat with a dressing gown over my head..... Which she thought was rude, I just didnt want to get told off for getting the "tat" !!! I'm sooo pleased I'm not the only person who does this.....

l_m128

Apr 18, 2013

To: Body Rockers, I like that nick name. :)

Awesome to see that other people do this as well. I've been doing it for a long time, before I hurt my knee in my deployment I would get on my knees on the floor with a pillow and rock for long periods. Now I just rock while sitting in a chair and sometimes I will rock laying down by pushing off the wall with my feet. I usually listen to music while rocking too. To answer questions further up there, my mom would tell me to quit rocking violently, but for the most part would allow me to have my alone time. My question is do any of you all have crazy zone out periods? Like I will just zone out in the middle of a conversation and sometimes someone will need to nudge me in order for me to come back down to earth. I do believe I suffered a little in K-12 with rocking because I would often procrastinate by rocking, however, I've been attending Texas State University and I'm actually getting better grades than what I got in high school (could be the discipline I acquired through the military). I still will get these crazy zone outs though and sometimes when a teacher calls on me my mind goes blank even if it's something simple that I know. Last question, what is some of the songs you all like to listen to when rocking? I like songs that have a big build up, if you get a chance you might like the song "Comforting Sounds" by Mew.

sal58397

Apr 19, 2013

It is crazy that so many people have the same issues with this... For many years I thought I was the only on that did this. My mom would always tell me to stop banging I always felt embarrassed.. The crazy thing that many of you mentioned is the feeling that you have when listening to music.. I felt like I was on a natural high and would go into another world for hours.. I felt like I wasted half of my youth doing this and it isolated me when I was younger... It also relaxed me so much when ever I got stressed out I would rock when ever I had something good on my mind I would rock..I am just amazed by the stories..Like many of you mentioned the stories that you have told are exactly the same things I went through.. It really effected my school, sometimes my social life.. I really tried to get away from this as I got older as I was very active in sports and school.. Even now I have a rocking chair at home..

LVjon

Apr 20, 2013

Hi, I'm 17 and I've rocked throughout my entire lifetime so far. I'm falling behind on all my homework and studies because I enjoy body-rocking so much... I do it around 6 hours a day. I wake up really early just so I could listen to music and body-rock before school. I have the best daydreams and much clearer thoughts when I'm rocking. I'm starting to plan my whole day around my body-rocking routine. I can only do it in my bed with my door locked and curtains closed. Sometimes I get really bad headaches when I do it too long. I don't think I'll ever stop though. My mother told me I've done it since birth. I find it really embarassing because she used to tell everyone about it and my family sometimes made fun of me. I was never neglected or unloved as a child so I don't know why I do it, but I'm very addicted. Sometimes I don't need to do it and other times I can't help it, but I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. It's become one of my favorite daily activities.

JGF25

Apr 20, 2013

To: LVjon

6 hours a day is a lot. Are you able to get your daily work done? School work and studying? Do you go out with friends?

RWH

Apr 30, 2013

I'm 59 and I body rock. My father explained to me that when I was somewhere between the age of 9 months to 1 1/2 I would get on all fours in my tiny crib and rock back and forth. He said because the crib was fragile and I seem determined to do this he demanded I stop. Obviously non-movement was not an option for me so I started rocking my body, always on my right side; the whole procedure working with 45 degrees of movement. My father felt this was acceptable so it was permitted. From the beginning to the age of 20 or so this is how I went to sleep. But it has never stopped. If I can't sleep or I wake up and have trouble falling back to sleep I body rock. I HAVE HEARD THEIR IS AN EXPLANATION. I am the youngest child. My sister was born 13 months before me. There was a documentary during the Soviet era about orphans. Many of them rocked. It was concluded that these children were not nurtured and/or rocked properly by their mother's or that they had been rocked by their parents at one time and then it ceased. The assumption was that children need and like to be rocked. But if the rocking is interrupted for whatever reason, the effect is a termination of the rocking desire before fruition. Not being an orphan, but being born so soon after my sister, my parent-rocking time was cut short because my mother had to juggle between the two of us. Maybe my sister was the squeaky wheel. Rob

264876a

May 13, 2013

This is so interesting to read, like most others i have too tried to find out more about why i was doing this. To be honest I have let it take over so much of my life that i forget that i even do it. I'm 24 and have done it ever since i can remember so it's normal for me. I have always have anxiety problems so assumed this was linked but know that i'm getting older i'm worried about what it;s going to be like when me and my boyfriend have children. Am i going to spend my days on end still doing this when i have other priorities?! And like someone mentioned before, I have also mentioned this to the doctor during an appointment as an after thought but just got a really funny look!
I recently was working a lot and found that my desire to do it decreased and now that i have had more free time to do it I am letting it take over again! Keeping busy obviously helps.

AllBahianGirl

May 14, 2013

To: nycsasha

I am 53 years old and for me body rocking has been a lifelong compulsion. I happened to mention the problem to my doctor and for the last six months I have been taking two 300 mg. capsules of Gabapentin or Neurontin. It stops the body rocking but if you want to rock again just stop taking the medication for a couple of days and the body rocking will return. I spent so many hours daily body rocking for over half a century that I don't really know what to do with myself when I'm not bouncing.

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