Introduction
An impactful dream I had recently was an episode of sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis prevents the sleeper from moving during REM sleep but can happen when waking up (Coon et al., 2022). It also co-occurs with hypnopompic hallucinations that can be pretty confusing and frightening and suffocating (Suni & Dimitriu, 2020). In this case, sleep paralysis lasted for several minutes and was accompanied by a vivid dream of a dark, shapeless weight placed on my chest. In the dream, the weight was slowly moving from my chest toward my neck in a strange spider-like motion.
Website’s Interpretation of Dream
There are several approaches to interpreting one’s dreams and what they represent. In dreams, there is a clear connection between the dream content and reality (Freud, 1900). Thus, dreams mirror the real-life events and experiences of the sleeper. It is vital to consider the source of the dream construction. This dream should be viewed as a happening in the present as, taking into account real-life events, it is a residue of the previous day’s events (Freud Museum London, 2018). As the dream is not recurring, it should be analyzed from the perspective of avoidance in Gestalt therapy (O’Mahoney, 2018). Overall, to interpret the dream with sleep paralysis, it is necessary to review real-life events and the avoidance pattern.
Meaning Behind Dream
It can be argued that the dream of burden is the reflection of the weight of responsibilities, such as study and work, that I have recently faced. Considering real-life events, I have faced some issues at work and in the courses that I am taking that prove difficult and time-consuming. Dreams are the reflection of real-life events and our unconscious and intention (O’Mahoney, 2018). Thus, the discussed dream reveals my attitude towards those life events and my avoidance pattern of certain difficulties.
References
Coon, D., Mitterer, J. O., & Martini, T. S. (2022). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior (16th ed.).
Freud Museum London. (2018). The interpretation of dreams: A guide to Sigmund Freud’s theory of dreams and his method for dream interpretation. Web.
Freud, S. (1900). The interpretation of dreams. Classics in the History of Psychology. Web.
O’Mahoney, H. (2018). Becoming the dream: A gestalt approach. Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy. Web.
Suni, E., & Dimitriu, A. (2020). What you should know about sleep paralysis. Sleep Foundation. Web.