Rocking back and forth - any rockers here?

[Kim500]

Abstract reminded me of something else I do when I lay down to go to sleep. I'm a stomach sleeper and I will often rub my left foot gently back and forth on the bed sheet.

*A little off-topic but I don't know where to put this*
Have any of you scratched yourself while you slept? Or self-injured while you slept? **Trigger alert** I ask because I woke up to find 10 scratches on my body. Many are minor but one of them is 10" long down my left side, and two are deep and parallel on my back and look more like cuts than scratches. I don't have any nails and tried to scratch myself to see how it happened and my nails were too short to be able to scratch my skin. I remember a moment of feeling being hurt last night, but that's it.

 

[Bosco2153]

Yes...I am rocking now so Googled PTSD and rocking and came to this thread. Mine is usually accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and high anxiety/gaspy breathing. I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest. It happens often this time of day when my husband is going to be coming home soon and I try to seem 'normal' and alive for him. Sigh.

 

[safenow]

Kim, Do you have a pet? A dog or cat that might have scratched you? If you have no nails, and the long deep one is on your back, I doubt you did it yourself. Is there perhaps a spring or something on or near your bed that could have done it?

 

[Britt.f7]

I know I rock when deeply upset. I also tend to put my foot against the footboard or turn around and put my foot against the wall to rock the bed. I can't help but rock if I'm sitting in any chair that does that or rotate a chair back and forth that swivels.

I also rub my feet together when in bed or against the sheets. Usually I don't notice until they start getting irritated from the friction.

I also, for awhile, when out would rub my thumb and finger together.

Ahh, the things we do to comfort ourselves.

 

[HëllaBubz]

After reading this thread.....I'm off to find a rocking chair.

I thought it was me just being stupid.
I tend to lie on my stomach across the bed and 'bounce' my leg or foot.

 

[winterose]

I rock my leg at night. I used to rock on my head when I was a kid, in fact, so much that I made the bed frame fall apart, Oy. I feel a bit less ashamed now that I know I am not the only one. I never admitted to this until now.

 

[safenow]

I tend to rock when I'm stressed.

 

[Suede]

I have always done this. I seem to remember hearing that it runs in families.My brother & I used to lie down kind of in a fetal position, but on our knees, face down, and rock forward & backward & sing a little song. I have 3 rocking chairs in my house, and rock in bed if I can't sleep. Sometimes I also put my hands behind my back & shake them, don't know why.

 

[shoulderblades]

I do this when I'm extremely anxious. I haven't done it in a while, though; my anxiety seems to have decided to manifest itself in back pain more than anything these days. But I have memories of rocking back and forth a lot for no real reason when I was a teenager and in my early twenties, and it being the only way that calmed me down or kept me sort of grounded.

 

[Philippa]

Yes, it's extremely soothing to rock. I rock!:D

Talking to myself at times can also be something I do to help myself, if I need to be talked down from something, an experience that distressed me or simply to affirm to myself that I know that a person is being manipulative and trying to make me think I am bad, when it is their behavior that is bad.

 

[Changing4Best]

rocks back and forth a little in tense situations (mostly going to sleep). I find it comforting, and i just wondered if there were any like me here...It had to be pointed out to me.

YES! I rock myself to sleep, I rock when upset or waiting for someone or something. I bought myself a rocker/ recliner, figured I'd go with it and not try to fight it. This helps.

 

[Zaniegirl]

Hello--thank you so much for being here.

I have struggled with rocking most of my life. I always though that I was crazy and my mom said that she had a hard time being with me when I was a baby (I used to rock so hard that I would move my crib across the room).

Both of my parents were are/were alcoholics and I was often left overnight at daycare, etc. and I was a VERY anxious child. This (the rocking behavior) went on throughout college and graduate school. It mostly stopped when I got married (I was so ashamed or I slept in a different room). I found one friend who rocked or did some form of movement when he went to sleep as well and I felt much better.

In the last three years I lost my father (I was his primary caretaker and his death was prolonged and painful for both of us), had major spinal surgery, I was taken to the hospital for a serious panic attack, and my 15 year old daughter began to struggle with an eating disorder and had to go to the local children's hospital's psychiatric unit because she was suicidal.

All of this has been pretty brutal and I know that I am struggling with some PTSD symptoms. I'm sure it's not too hard to connect the dots to my current rocking behaviour (I really just started again in the last 6 months or so).

I am in therapy but it worries me that I still rock. I rock so that it is barely noticeable (we have a sleep number bed so my husband of almost 20 years still doesn't really know. Is this a "normal" coping or soothing method?

The only time I rock in public is in a rocking chair (but is serves the same function). I have always wondered about this and I am hoping to hear from others who deal with this behavior. Thank you, it feels so good to share this part of my life