This is what psychology says about the meaning of dreams

When we talk about the meaning of dreams, the first thing that comes to our mind is Sigmund Freud and his theory of dreams. Repressed unconscious desires. Or in other words that Dreams act as a kind of escape valve for impulses and desires that we cannot express openly in conscious life.. The explanation would have made sense had it not been for the fact that today, Neuroscience denies that it has empirical validity.

But Freud's motives are not the only ones that tried to give a reason for our existence in those movies that our minds make when we sleep. In addition to this hypothesis, there are other hypotheses such as the so-called “Information Processing Theory”, Which suggests that dreams are the result of processing information and experiences from the day: During sleep, the brain organizes and processes memories, emotions and experiences, which helps to consolidate memory and solve unresolved problems.

Wave “Activation and synthesis theory”proposed by J. Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley, suggests that dreams are the result of random activity of neurons in the brain during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

There are even some psychologists who rely on “The theory of evolutionary functionsuggests that dreams can have more practical use than we think: they are a form of preparation for challenges that arise in “real” life.

Beyond its classification or meaning, which we will get to later, it is clear that we all dream, even if we do not remember doing so. “Everyone dreams, even if they don't always remember to. Most dreams occur in the rapid eye movement phase.. “When we cannot remember it, it is because we woke up in another phase or the dream was too short,” explains Diego de la Guerra, a psychologist from Buencoco.

Why, sometimes, are dreams so intense, as if they were a movie? “Due to many factors: amount Experiences and emotions I woke up during the day. Personal and/or foundational experiences that made us who we are today in childhood and adolescence; Stressful items Or approaching the end or beginning of a New era…in short, for all the issues that intensify the unconscious life, the emotional mechanism, and thus the phenomenon of sleep.”

What we experience during the day can be a key to what we dream about at night. “the Daytime experiences From the point of view of psychoanalysis, it is one of the elements that the dream uses to form itself and show us its message. It is about what we lived and experienced during the day, the people we met or the events that happened or remembered.”

At this point, the million dollar question arises. Can we do something for the “sweet dream”? “If you are humane and honest with yourself, you will soon understand how impossible (and annoying) it is to settle for what is beautiful. In general, Unpleasant mental and emotional states are inevitable and necessary, and they have something to show for them to stop. “Dreams are no exception to this reality,” says de la Guerra.

He continues, “Dreams give us content, a sensory experience, and a unique memory that helps us reveal and express the deepest part of our subconscious. It is one of the Gifts given by our minds to understanding ourselves better“.

This specialist warns us that “of course, anyone who suffers from recurrent nightmares with recurring themes and persistent unpleasant effects should consider psychotherapy, as the appearance of such dreams is often a symptom of disorders or discomforts resulting from trauma. Dreams are messages that must be heeded and framed as a coherent outgrowth of our psychological life. (And our internal conflicts). “This is the way to silence and manage pain in all its forms: listen to it, listen to each other and talk about it.”

Why do we realistically experience things we have never experienced before: the pain of a gunshot, falling from a height, etc.? “Because dreams draw not only from personal experiences, but also from… Acting or sensual. “A movie, a traumatic story told by a loved one, or just imagination is reason enough for our subconscious to create a traumatic dream if it sees fit.”

How do we explain that in dreams we meet loved ones who have died and they tell us that they are calm and well? “With regard to dreams, although there are universal experiences, There are always subjective connotations and meanings that correspond to each person's personality and history.to. However, this type of dreams is usually observed in cases of grief, when we can see them in dreams after we have lost a loved one and feel relieved. He added: “This enhances the integration of what happened, and of course it moves consciences and moves people to the same extent.”

Types of dreams and possible interpretations

To try to understand what we dream about a little better, Buencoco's team of psychologists distinguish between these types of dreams:

Lucid dreaming: The person realizes that he or she is dreaming as the dream progresses. It is believed that these dreams may provide opportunities to consciously explore the subconscious and control certain aspects of the dream. From a psychological point of view, lucid dreams can be considered a form of self-exploration and self-actualization.

Recurring dreams: They are repeated regularly over time, and often contain similar content. It may indicate the presence of unresolved problems or underlying fears in a person's life. From a psychological perspective, recurring dreams can be a sign of feelings or conflicts that need to be addressed and resolved.

Nightmares: They are disturbing and disturbing dreams that cause fear, anxiety, or discomfort in the person who suffers from them. Nightmares can be caused by stress, past trauma, underlying fears, or other emotional factors. It can be a way to process and deal with negative emotions or painful experiences.

Symbolic dreams: They contain images, situations, or symbolic elements that represent aspects of a person's life, emotions, desires, or internal conflicts. The interpretation of the symbols in these dreams can vary depending on the person and their personal context. They can provide valuable information about a person's emotional and psychological state.

Previous dreams: Although there is no strong scientific evidence to support the idea of ​​foreboding dreams, psychologically, these dreams may reflect subconscious fears or intuitions about future events.

Meaning of dreams

Although specialists explain that the meaning of dreams can vary depending on the person and their individual context, these are the possible interpretations of some of the most frequent interpretations:

1. Dreams of losses (For example, dreaming of getting lost in the middle of nowhere or losing something valuable, such as your keys or cell phone): It can suggest feelings of insecurity, fear of failure, or fears about losing control in real life.

2. Dreams of falling (For example, dreaming of falling from an endless height): May be associated with anxiety about losing balance in life, feeling out of control, or fear of failure.

3. Dreams of promotion (For example, dreaming of flying freely in the sky): Can reflect feelings of freedom, power, and dominance. It may indicate a desire to be free from restrictions or difficulties in real life.

4. Exam dreams (For example, dreaming of being late for a critical exam or not being able to answer any questions) – It may be related to performance anxiety, fear of the judgment of others, or anxiety about not being ready to face challenges in real life.

5. Dreams of nudity (For example, dreaming about being naked in public) – These dreams may suggest feelings of vulnerability, shame, or exposure. They can reflect concerns about being judged by others or feeling unprotected.

6. Dreams of persecution (For example, dreaming of being chased by an unknown person) – These dreams may be associated with anxiety, avoidance, or feelings of stress in real life. It may indicate a desire to escape from problems or face difficult situations.