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.