What makes people rock side to side?

Answer 1

There isn't just one answer but there are many, many possibilities. It can be an ordinary and unproblematic behavior of one who is comforting oneself for one reason or another. It could be in response to ordinary medical/physical social or psychological stress. This wouldn't be unlike a person rocking in a rocking chair for long periods of time. That would hardly be seen as the least bit unhealthy. It could be a behavior of a person who is under enormous stress and the stress could be at levels that require medical or psychological treatment. It might be a behavior that is seen in people who are seriously bored and understimulated, depressed, psychotic or who are somewhere at the more serious end of the autism spectrum. There are probably many other causes. If it is something that an otherwise healthy and well adjusted person does only from time to time, without the rocking interfering with other life activities, then it seems not worth worrying about. If it is a behavior which is apparently troublesome to the individual, a behavior that is interfering with life, or that occupies huge chunks of time on an ongoing basis, or that has become a source of stress and concern for others in the person's life, then helping the person seek help is indicated.