Body rocking

[Pauledh]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone could help me figure out something... Up until about 4 years ago I would body-rock. Im now 34, from the age of I realy dont know when... since my memory started at the age of say 2 i would body rock. I'd lie on the floor and rock for between a few minutes up to 6 hours or more. I'd rock on the floor and day dream and it seems that the rocking motion would help me day dream and I'd end up in almost in a trance. It completly messed up my education... instead of studying I'd body rock and dream whenever possible.... I mean I was totaly addicted to it, it may seam strange but it got worse from childhood. Im my teens and twenties i spent most of my spare time doing this, once I got to the age to start listening to music I'd body rock with music playing, with the different type of music depending one what i wanded to dream about or vice versa. It could be for the whole weekend and I've lost so much my life doing this.... You would'nt believe. I don't believe I'm autistic... i dont seem to show any other signs... I have a good career now and live a happy life but I'd like to understand what happened to me for all those years.

I'm not entirely sure this is the right forum, maybe it should be mental health but if anyone could help me understand I would much appreciatre your thoughts! If not i will try the other forums. Thanks for your time

[Luellaxellie]

I can't stop doing it either mark. Like you I admire people who do, but for me it seems almost impossible. It makes me happy, the best feeling in the world. I'm a 33 yr old female with 2 small children and I sneak body rocking into my life wherever possible. It makes me hate myself because I'm unorganised in my life because of it. I'd rather rock than meet up with people and be sociable and it's unfair on my children. It really does seriously interfere with my life, but my doctor didn't take me seriously. Nobody does really. Alcohol seems to help ha. I can't rock when I'm tipsy :) so that sorts the evenings. But during the day it is too easy for me to put some music on (louder the better) and sit with my legs tucked under my bottom and sway side to side in my own world for as long as I can get away with it.

[alfaromeo]

hi im 22 years old and I body rock. I remember we had this black couch and when ever I was mad I would always go on to it and rock back and forth and if my grandpa was over he would put a pillow behind my head to joke around with me. and whenever im in the car I always do that. even when im on the computer listening to dance electro music I rock back and forth but I don't hit my head, just rock back and forth.

[JosephPaulA]

I am 24 yrs old and have done this my entire life,Not sure about you guys but I wouldn't go from side to side,I would go forward and backward while sitting up,Same goes with laying down.In fact my twin brother does this as well as my older brother.I cannot enjoy music as much either unless I'm what my brothers and I call bouncing.People want to find meds for it,I can stop when ever I want,I just enjoy doing it.I have produced OCD while doing it though...Their was times when bouncing was all I had,So I would either think about it while I was at school or while I was at work,Looking forward to it when I got home because when I did it,My imagination would go crazy.If anyone is like me that just means you have a great imagination!

[CheriTheBee]

I've been rocking since birth. I rocked when I was sad , happy or stressed. It has soothed me at the worst times in my life and helped me with changes. People have thought it strange but there r stranger things u could do. I think as long as it doesn't physically hurt u or intefere with getting things done then whats the harm?

[CheriTheBee]

Doctors say stress kills. So I see no reason 4 alarm as long as u aren't physically hurting youtself. I'VE been rocking since birth. I think people care too much what other people think of them and not enough of what they think of themselves. I've done this happy or  sad, Its helped me clear my head and also escape. There r worse things  u could be doing 2 youself. Just my opinion. Signed, Cheri

[mad39]

I am so excited to have found out that there are other people that have this! I've always rocked back and forth, on the couch and on my side to fall asleep. It was so soothing to me as a child and my parents never discouraged me, so I continued. When I began to become more socially aware of myself, though, I became unnecessarily ashamed of my habits and would only rock when I was sincerely distressed or in complete isolation (I'd even close my curtains). I usually listen to music (the genre changes but if I'm honest it's 90% soundtrack to fit my constant daydreaming) and or I watch TV. Through my adolescence it was just another hobby like reading or soccer to me.
But I graduated high school early and college crept up on me. This meant roommates. How would I fall asleep without rocking? Should I just tell my roommate and live normally after that? I got so anxious about being accepted that I never told a soul at college and I just stopped cold-turkey on campus. (Which it was nice to realize that I could switch it on and off). Once I got home for breaks I just picked it straight up again and daydreamed as usual. Someone else here has mentioned that they'd actually wake hours early to get some nice rocking downtime in before school, that has me written all over it! I fall asleep rocking, wake up and grab coffee and earphones, then rock. Then maybe later in the day I will fit in the productive things. The only thing I really worry about is if I ever decide to have kids, what will I do?
I've come to terms with it now, its relaxing and it stimulates my imagination. But I was wondering, do any of you also have symptoms of OCD? I have obsessive cleaning, washing, and checking. I've checked my closet for axe murderers and the lock on my door eight times before bed each night for the past 17 years. (Not to mention the nobs on our gas stove..man I wish we had electric). I don't know but I think there could be others with this as well as the rocking!
I'm not really ashamed of it anymore- there's no real shame in it- its what we do to comfort ourselves and I believe that you should do whatever makes you happy. So if that means taking your Sunday to sit on your living room couch and rock out to some nice classical music...do it!