Learn how to spot the signs.
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I'm a 40 year old woman, recently diagnosed with possible ADD. Ever since I was a little child I've found it calming and comforting to sit on a chair or the ground, with my legs crossed, moving rhythmically forward and backward. This I would do daily for hours, often humming or singing. Nowadays I take antidepressives and this urge no longer exists, but in a period recently, when I wasn't taking them, I tried my old habit. Feeling very upset, speedy and confused, it immediately relaxed me and calmed down.
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My son began rocking at age 2. He is now 4 and has recently been diagnosed with ADHD. His bodyrocking was so odd to us that we took him to an autism specialist to make sure he wasn't autistic. He isn't. He still rocks and sings in his favorite chair (the fabric has been worn away from the friction) and he is on a stimulant. I think it does help to relax him.We don't encourage the behavior but don't punish for it even though it drives us crazy. The rocking was the first clue that led us to his eventual diagnosis of ADHD.
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Repetitiveness or ritualistic movements sound more like autistic behaviour or anxiety disorder. I say this because as a counsellor in a group home of autistic persons they are very repetitive, ritualistic and e.g wiggling of fingures pointing upward when happy, rocking back and forth either sitting or standing and making wave like motions with arms. Then again, my brother who is now in his 30's since the day he was born needs to sit in a rocking chair because he needs to "rock". This is because he is a very high strung person, with no signs of ADD. It's a comfort thing much like people who sleep in the fetal position. I am in no means a highly qualified person but I hope this helps a little. Good Luck.
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Repetitive movements, such as 'rocking' or 'bucking' can be a symptom of ADD/ADHD. However, other observable symptoms must have been present, lifelong, before diagnosis is pronounced. ADD is not a disease, or learning disablity, per se'. ADD people learn differently. They learn better through on-the-job training, and tend to learn through their senses (pictures & actvities).
Rocking a self-comforting, calming mechanism, in an ADD person. The smooth, rhythmic changes in linear motion acts as a natural, central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. The stimulation comes through the function of the vestibular labyrinth.
In that structure, there are two, fluid-filled sacs. The walls have cells called neurons which emit signals, as the fluid sloshes inside the sac. When the head is rocked in one direction, the firing rate increases in one side. When the pendulum action pauses, and changes direction, firing stops for that moment. Then the opposite sac's neurons begin firing as the head [acting as the pendulum] begins travelling in that opposite direction.
Thus, rocking stimulates the ADD/ADHD brain, calming the person, relieving stress, increasing focus. In addition, the muscles needed to move the head in a rhythmic motion, can act as exercise, which allows the body to release the "fight or flight" stress hormones.
Commonly, are two methods of repetitive movements which can have a calming effect. Namely, 'rocking' and 'bucking.'
Rocking uses an upright posture. It usually involves the person bending at the hips or waist, and moving front-to-back, or side-to-side.
Bucking generally involves some form of tapping the head against a padded surface. Pounding a head against a hard surface is called head-banging, and is a self-destructive behavior, not a comforting action.
Rocking is commonly performed using a rocking chair, a swing, a glider, or a riding-toy, mounted on four springs. It may also be done in standard chairs, on a mattress, in an automobile seat, or in on a seat with no back support. The usupported method requires the most strength and endurance.
Rocking chairs do tend to inch backwards, if the operator gets over zealous. Care must be used to keep the back from striking walls or furniture.
Some people sit on a bed, and gently lock their extended arms behind, to act as a back support. The springs of the mattress smooth the motion, keeping it low impact.
An automobile seat is another good base, since the back has firm springs, and adequate padding. Young children tend to use this form, since they are able to bounce, slightly, off the seat back.
On a sleeping surface, people may rock in a gentle, twisting motion. One or both of the legs may be bent to control rotation and provide torque leverage.
Also, on a sleeping surface, infants and children may engage in a motion resembling head banging. However in the ADD/ADHD individual, self-destruction is not the focus.
Often, the head will gently strike their flatten, clasped hands, or folded forearms. A better term for this variation is 'bucking' since it resembles rodeo animals' motion, instead of a hammering action.
Bucking uses soft tissues to provide impact cushioning, which helps avoid pain. Many will find, by their preschool years, that it helps to put a pillow over the clasped hands, with fingers grasping the pillowcase, to keep the pillow stable.
Teenagers and adults may adapt into the linear-prone posture. Laying on the stomach, and using forearms and/or pillow, the shoulders may be supported more on the elbows. Slightly lifting the straightened legs makes eases stress on the back, when additional intensity is needed, as when combating stress and frustration.
Intense aerobic exercise is often prescribed for ADD/ADHD individuals. However most exercises my be too 'boring' for the understimulated AD(H)D mind.
A stationary bicycle can work well if the rider flexes the torso, to rock side-to-side, in concert with pedaling. Instrumental music also aids focus, whether Jazz Running, or Vivaldi's The Four Seasons (recommended by Bicycle magazine, for training in off-season).
Again, rhythmic stimulation is the goal, and not pain or brain-damage. Nevertheless, the long-term effects of bucking are unknown.
Brain scans of soccer players do show markedly decreased activity, due to the sharp impacts of soccer-balls against the skull. Be aware of this, if the person vibrates the room, due to overzealous bucking. http://www.headinjury.com/sports.htm
When an ADHD person is physically tired, there is less need for rhythmic comforting. Without the activity, the person may unwittingly use rocking or bucking to both relieve mental stress, and to provide physical fatigue needed for a good night's sleep.
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i've found that something like tapping a foot or pencil, even doodling, help me focus and calm down when i'm trying to listen in class or meetings and whatnot. i think it's normal
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I am a 33 year old male. Ever since i can remember i have "Rocked" a forward then backward motion. As a child my parents would stop me from rocking so i would find myself going somewhere away from people to rock. As an adult I still rock when i am by myself ( I am to conscious to rock in front of people). I have never been diagonosed as having ADD and i dont beleive i have it (if you can HAVE it). My real concern here is that as i have got older the muscles in the back of my neck, (if you place your hand on the back of your head and neck and rock you will feel muscle movement) have started to get sore quite badly and am suffering from tension headaches. I also get a quite sharp nipping pain at the very top of the neck muscel. This neck/headpain that i beleive is a result of lifetime rocking is the reason i ended up at this site/page. I added this post just to say i dont think my repetitive movement is due to ADD.
Anybody with info or questions about rocking in adults , please feel free to write me at logan1008@yahoo.com as finding another adult rocker would be a releif, all websites seem to suggest this is a young child thing, or in the mentally retarded, neither of which i think i am.?
Appologies if this post is not what this site or question is about..
First answer by carol young. Last edit by ID1380373518. Question popularity: 186 [recommend question]
