When anxiety features in a dream it may be just that - straightforward anxiety. On the other hand, it may be a disguise for some repressed aggression or resentment.
Ixt us say you dream of the death of a loved one, and you wake up in a sweat and frantic with concern about that person (partner, parent or whatever). It may be that the anxiety you felt in the dream and / or on waking from the dream is what Freud called a defence mechanism - that is, a ruse we adopt for protecting ourselves against unbearable, unacceptable feelings. The first time we experience a strong negative feeling against someone near to us, we tend to ‘put it out of mind’. In realitv, however, what happens to such banished feelings is not that
they disappear; rather, they remain with us, in the unconscious part of our psyche. Rejection of feelings because they are morally repugnant or terrifying in their possible consequences is what Freud called ‘repression’ or ‘suppression’. (Remember: suppression is a conscious act, repression an unconscious act.) What causes us to suppress or repress a feeling of hatred or jealousy or resentment, or a desire to kill or hurt or perform some other socially proscribed act, is anxiety - anxiety about the consequences. Therefore, whenever anxiety reappears in our dreams we need to look for possible repressed feelings or desires that brought the anxiety about in the first place.
‘A dream is a (disguised) fulfilment of a (suppressed or repressed) wish,’ said Freud in his epoch-making book The Interpretation of Dreams; and this, he went on, applied even - no, especially - to so-called anxiety dreams. Freud is wrong, of course, in over-generalizing: many anxiety dreams are quite straightforward undisguised expressions of fears for someone or about some situation. However, do not assume that Freud is wrong with regard to any particular dream before you have honestly examined both your dream and yourself with a view to finding (which may mean recollecting) a negative desire that might be lurking behind the dream’s cloak of anxiety.
One of the categories of dreams that Freud classified as ‘typical’ is the death of a person of whom the dreamer is fond. vSuch dreams, said Freud, always represent the dreamer’s wish that the person should die. Between brothers and sisters there is often jealousy, and wicked wishes arising in childhood may be harboured in the unconscious for a very long time - for as long as we care to leave them there. The same applies to the jealousy and hatred a young child may feel towards a parent.
It may be that your dream of a loved one dying is prompted by a recent worry about the loved one. But dreams whose contents are determined by recent experiences may express feelings that have a long history in your life. Indeed, it could be that, if the loved one in the dream is your partner, any jealousy or hatred you may be feeling towards him or her mav be the jealousy or hatred you felt as a child towards your parent of the opposite sex, now transferred to your partner. Repressed hostile feelings have a way of repeating themselves in one situation alter another, with one person after another. [1]
The dream may also indicate fear of chaos and problems—sometimes also a far-reaching change in your life. Being hunted by terrible images: you are harboring secret worries, or people you consider dangerous are the cause of the anxiety.
If you frequendy dream about being fearful and anxious: courage and being more assertive will make it easier to overcome hurdles. Making others fearful: a difficult situation or disappointment ahead. Sometimes anxietv-filled dreams are a sign of physical symptoms, like heart problems. Frequent anxiety dreams would suggest that you make an appointment with your physician for a check up.
For women in particular, nightmares are often a sign of physical problems.
The circulatory system may also be reacting to a heavy meal, too much smoking, too much alcohol. [2]
It is very common to have dreams that express anxiety and emotions that you cannot channel in real life. According to Freud, they show repressed aggression and resentment. Many of those, in fact, come from the subject’s childhood. So wherever this oneiric anxiety appears, it is advisable to seek the hidden feelings that really cause it.
Some beliefs state that anxiety dreams indicate exactly the opposite. In other words, it won’t be long until your concerns are resolved. And, in a sense, when the individual expresses their fears in dreams, they get closer to their dissipation. [3]
If you are not feeling anxiety during the day, it could be that you are ignoring it and that it will appear in your dream. Therefore, look at the details of your dream and attempt to identify the anxiety-provoking situations in your daily life. [4]
See also: Venting Dreams. [8]
apprehension, having: do things your own way as in the past.
children, over: wil escape a present peril.
finances: family quarrels.
friends: expect too many favors for little effort.
being plagued with: don’t let anger at past mistakes block your future.
chaotic life, about: be assertive in overcoming hurdles to your progress.
frantic, being: strenuous times fol owed by a peaceful holiday.
others: advancement within company.
relatives: wil receive a smal inheritance.
having: must recognize enemies before you confront them.
painful, of the mind: what you desire is forbidden and wrong.
images of, about: expose your secret worries to your mate.
vibrating, some part of body: schedule a physical exam. [11]