Music as stimming

[AuroraBorealis]

I have discovered a while ago that music (listening to it, singing, humming) is a major way to regulate and calm myself. Looking back, I have always had a strong connection to music, even though I wouldn't at all consider myself musically talented. Listening to music could always give me very strong feelings, in a positive or negative way, or also enhance feelings which were already there (happiness could turn into absolute joy). I sing and hum a lot, both when I'm happy and when I'm getting uncomfortable, often without noticing that I started. I got told off a lot by my family when I was young that I should stop humming during meals or conversations because it was considered impolite, so I don't do that anymore.

I have always had the habit to tap with my fingers in the music's rhythm. I loved making up different rhythms which matched the song. Since realizing that I'm autistic, I've noticed more and more that music is very regulating for myself. When I'm overstimulated in a noisy environment, listening to familiar music can ground me very much. I fidget a lot, but if I'm really overwhelmed, then fidgeting, tapping and rocking in the music's rhythm calms me much, much more than the same motions would do without the music. When in a busy supermarket, which usually is overstimulating for me, it's much better if the supermarket plays a familiar song over their speakers, because I can focus on it and it calms me.

Do some of you also use music as a tool to calm yourselves? Do you also combine other stims (such as fidgeting or rocking) with music?

 

[AprilR]

I like to listen to music while pacing or making facial expressions, and daydreaming. Idk if this is stimming or maladaptive daydreaming however.

 

[FilterFreq]

Absolutely.

My top picks have always been death metal and grindcore, and while most people wouldn't consider them to be calming, they actually are for me, because the guitar tones and relentless drum pounding is very close to white noise, or the waves of the ocean. Both also have wonderfully-stimulating patterns, especially when mixed with jazz and other influences (particularly the former).

I wouldn't at all consider myself musically talented.

Weirdly, this is less innate and more rehearsed than most people realize. If you ever want to learn an instrument or get into making music yourself, it's definitely not too late to try. You might fall in love with it!

 

[kriss72]

Yes, I use music as a stim or something, I can literally feel the calm flowing through my body when I put my headphones on (presuming I'm stressed at the moment), having the same number on repeat, so every beat is predictable is calming for me.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Weirdly, this is less innate and more rehearsed than most people realize. If you ever want to learn an instrument or get into making music yourself, it's definitely not too late to try. You might fall in love with it!

I have played the piano quite a lot from age +- 10 until 18. When I stopped having lessons, I stopped practicing different songs, and keep only re-playing the same few which I know by heart. It's hard to motivate myself on my own to practise.

 

[Tuffsy]

It definitely works for me. I play guitar nearly every day for 1 or 2 hours. It relaxes my whole body. I play all of my "happy" songs, usually ones that I grew up with, but occasionally a new one. When I'm at a gathering or party I do not feel comfortable unless I'm playing music. Luckily others appreciate my music too.

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

Music is very important to me. I can see how it can change my mood. I hum when I’m happy. I also hum when it is critical for me to get something right.

My canoe hit a rock hiding just under the surface of the water. It raised the canoe up just a bit and the current made this a tricky situation. A spill could be imminent, with inherent risks of loss of gear, an unplanned swim, to say nothing of alligators,

It took careful maneuvering to ease the boat of the rock.

I was humming the entire time.

 

[FayetheAspie]

Music is very important to me. I can see how it can change my mood. I hum when I’m happy. I also hum when it is critical for me to get something right.

My canoe hit a rock hiding just under the surface of the water. It raised the canoe up just a bit and the current made this a tricky situation. A spill could be imminent, with inherent risks of loss of gear, an unplanned swim, to say nothing of alligators,

It took careful maneuvering to ease the boat of the rock.

I was humming the entire time.

Scary!

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

Scary!

It was scary there for a few.

The humming was automatic. It was not something I thought to do. It kept me from making sudden or sharp moves which would have been trouble.

 

[Judge]

Looped this twice as an MP3. Even play it in my car...always makes me smile...

 

[MildredHubble]

I've always relied on music to give me a boost or to calm things down when I'm anxious. I think the thing that makes it more stim like is that I can listen to one of two songs on repeat for a long period of time. Like @AprilR I can pace a lot while the music is playing, which to me can feel like bliss. Sometimes I will talk to myself a lot too, which I can appreciate might sound strange.

I think the music makes me feel insulted, or invisible, or less inhibited. Like it dulls my awareness off the potential that people might see me. It's a nice feeling that can be all too easily interrupted. At least I can kinda pretend I was singing along to the music though

I discovered a YouTube channel that does some fabulous cover versions of theme songs from cartoons I liked when I was a kid. Once I put them on repeat I'm hooked maybe for hours!

 

[FayetheAspie]

I've always relied on music to give me a boost or to calm things down when I'm anxious. I think the thing that makes it more stim like is that I can listen to one of two songs on repeat for a long period of time. Like @AprilR I can pace a lot while the music is playing, which to me can feel like bliss. Sometimes I will talk to myself a lot too, which I can appreciate might sound strange.

This paragraph is VERY relatable.