dream symbol

Phobias / Fears Dream Meaning

Phobias and fears in dreams tend to signify feelings of inadequacy, uncertainty and lack of self-confidence in waking life. Every person will have their own unique fears but the list below contains the dream meanings of some common fears:

Accidents: Inability to focus on the here and now.

Aging: Lack of appreciation for the natural stages of life.

Alcohol: Doubts regarding your self-control.

Aloneness: Low self-esteem and the need for others to validate you.

Amnesia: Insecurity about your identity.

Animals: Basic instincts that are threatening to spill over into your waking life.

Ants: Inability to cooperate with others.

Bacteria: fear of being affected by others.

Baldness: fear of losing the ability to think clearly.

Beards: Suspicion over what someone is hiding.

Bedtime: Fear of dying before certain goals are accomplished.

Beggars: Fear of appearing helpless or difficult feelings when faced with another person’s neediness.

Birds: Fear of freedom or success.

Black/dark: Fear of what you do not understand.

Blindness: Dread of losing your perceptive skills.

Blood: Dread of losing your inner strength.

Blushing: Fear of embarrassment.

Body odor: Dread of offending others.

Books: Fear of the opinions or criticism of others.

Brain disease: Fear of losing your reason.

Buildings, high: Fear of being forced into a situation in which you feel you have no control.

Bullets: Fear of loss of self-control.

Burglars: Sense of vulnerability.

Buried alive: Fear that a pending plan will not have a chance to prove itself.

Cancer: Fear of negativity, poor health.

Cats: Fear of loss of independence.

Childbirth: Fear of change or new beginnings.

Children: Fear of the child within.

Clocks: Fear of falling behind in your schedule or commitments.

Clowns: Fear of letting your guard down.

Coitus/sex: Fear of getting close to another person.

Cold: Fear of becoming lazy or apathetic.

Color: Fear of standing out.

Computers: Fear of learning new things.

Confined spaces: Fear of getting into situations in which you feel trapped.

Constipation: Feeling unable to express yourself.

Cooking: Aversion to planning things.

Cross: Fear of being reminded of sacrifices you need to make or have made.

Dancing: Dislike of showing emotion.

Daylight: Fear of exposure.

Death/corpses: Refusal to accept reality.

Decisions: Fear of taking responsibility.

Demon/goblin: Fear of life’s negatives.

Dentists: Fear of someone changing your mind.

Disease: Fear of problems.

Doctor: Aversion to the opinions of others.

Dolls: Tendency to look at the motives of others with suspicion.

Electricity: Dislike of control from anyone but yourself.

Empty rooms: Suggests lack of vision.

Fat/gaining weight: Fear of loss of self-control.

Fire: Fear of emotional outbursts.

Fish: Revulsion towards anything associated with religion or spiritual growth.

Floods: Fear of being emotionally overwhelmed.

Flowers: Denial of your talents.

Flying: Fear of expressing your opinions.

Food: Fear of nourishing an aspect of yourself.

Gay/lesbian: Fear of human diversity or traits different to yourself.

Ghosts: Fear of your past returning to haunt you.

Gold: Inability to handle money.

Hallowe’en: Dread of discovering hidden aspects of another person’s character.

Heat: This suggests procrastination and the avoidance of challenge.

Heights: Reluctance to advance due to fear of failure.

Hell: Fear of depression.

Horses: Fear of others seeing your own wild nature.

Hospitals: Fear of change.

Houses: Fears about personal security.

Hurricanes/tornados: Aversion to fanaticism.

Injections: Fear of the new and different invading your personal space.

Insanity: Fear of losing grip on reality.

Insects: Inability to deal with life’s irritations.

Jumping: Fear of becoming impatient.

Lightning/thunder: Reluctance to experience new insights.

Machinery: desire to avoid assistance.

Medicine: Lack of trust.

Men: Distrust of men or problems accepting masculine traits within yourself.

Mice: Worry over something invading or upsetting your routine.

Mirrors: Apprehension over facing yourself or knowing yourself.

Money: Avoidance of responsibility.

Myths: Fear of hearing the truth about a situation.

Night: This implies someone with an overactive imagination.

Noise: Someone who is easily distracted.

Old people: Fear of aging or mortality.

Open spaces: Fear of exposure.

Opposite sex: Being out of touch with your opposite gender characteristics.

Outer space: Feeling helpless and weightless.

Pain: Fear of being hurt in waking life.

Performing: Panic about being watched or judged.

Plant: Fear of not using your natural talents and not measuring up to expectations.

Railways/trains: Fear of not being able to change direction.

Relatives: Fear of others knowing things about you.

Reptiles: Fear of what you do not understand.

Ridicule: Fear of being criticized.

School: Fear of the inability to reach your potential.

Shadows: Suspicions about all sorts of things.

Snakes: Fear of what you do not understand.

Speaking aloud: Fear of being criticized for speaking your mind.

Speed: The need to take things slower.

Spiders: Fear of being manipulated by others.

Stairs: Fear of moving forward.

Stuttering: Fear of not being able to express yourself.

Swallowing: Fear of being gullible.

Technology: Distrust over advancements.

Telephones: Aversion to communication without being able to read the other’s body language.

Tests: Trepidation about your ability or competence; fear of failure.

Tombstones: Fear of facing your mortality.

Ugliness: Inability to face reality.

Walking: Fear of being independent.

Wind: Fear of showing emotion.

Women: Fear of not being accepted by others or inability to accept feminine traits within yourself. [1]

What Do You Think About This Dream?

Sources and Authors

  1. The Element Encyclopedia by Theresa Cheung [Back to dream]

What does Phobias / Fears mean in a dream?


Animals in dreams are generally associated with behavioral patterns or your natural instincts, the beast within. Being bitten or attacked by an animal may suggest feeling hunted, vulnerable or doubting...

Learn more about the meaning of Animal / Reptile / Insect

Getting rid of negative feelings such as despair or self doubt, fears about health—neurotic phobias about one’s own wholeness. Washing hair: changing one’s attitude; alter­ing the way one thinks about...

Learn more about the meaning of Washing

(see Darkness, Underground)The subconscious or hidden nature within.Archetypal: The womb of the earth—e.g., Earth as our mother who gave all humankind birth and nourishment. Also an emblem for a woman’s...

Learn more about the meaning of Cave (cellar)

Phobias and fears in dreams tend to signify feelings of inadequacy, uncertainty and lack of self-confidence in waking life. Every person will have their own unique fears but the list...

Learn more about the meaning of Phobias / Fears

Crystal-gazing may symbolize its psychological equivalent, namely, turning our attention inwards to explore the psyche and discover our ‘destiny’. But don’t forget that exploring your psyche entails uncovering your complexes...

Learn more about the meaning of Crystal-gazing

Working through the emotions and fears which resist our insight; sex when there is little feeling contact or there are fears preventing intimacy.

Learn more about the meaning of Drill

1. Desire to be a great baseball player (à la hideki matsui of the new york yankees).2. If one imagines oneself as godzilla, one thinks of him/herself as very powerful.3....

Learn more about the meaning of Godzilla

Downhill skiing may mention that you are successfully exercising control over your fears. Skiing down the north face of a mountain represents moving through your greatest fears with ease.

Learn more about the meaning of Skiing

We are confronted with many different fears in dreams, but they always refer to obstacles that are a mirror of our everyday—often unconscious—fears and insecurities. Nightmares often have physical causes;...

Learn more about the meaning of Fear

If you dream of the bizarre figure of a gargoyle it denotes some hidden fears you may have concerning matters known only to you that you have not shared with...

Learn more about the meaning of Gargoyle

1. If one fears being abducted, it signifies a deep fear of los­ing one’s home and family.2. If the dreamer pictures self as an alien, it means that ideas about...

Learn more about the meaning of Alien (s)

Vision: Looking into a tomb: repressed fears may be coming up. Digging in a tomb: possibly news of a death.If a tomb is caving in: an illness in the family.See...

Learn more about the meaning of Tomb, Vault

Psychological / emotional perspective: In dreams we can often allow our fears to come to the surface in an acceptable way.The cemetery in dreams is a place set apart, where...

Learn more about the meaning of Cemetery

Material aspects: When paralysis is felt in a dream we are probably experiencing great fear or suppression. Literally we are unable to make a move in any direction. Dealing with...

Learn more about the meaning of Paralysis

also see Sex1- In anv dream that contains sexual trauma, we are usually being alerted to our inner fears.The violent act of castration in a dream indicates the damage we...

Learn more about the meaning of Castrate

1- Cancer is one of the prime fears that a human being has to deal with, so to dream of a cancer indicates we are out of harmony with our...

Learn more about the meaning of Cancer

To dream that you feel fear from any cause, denotes that your future engagements will not prove so successful as was expected.For a young woman, this dream forebodes disappointment and...

Learn more about the meaning of Fears

When we feel we are suffocating in a dream, it may be that our own fears arc threatening to overwhelm us. It can also indicate that we are not in...

Learn more about the meaning of Suffocating

Coming face to face with aliens might be unexpected, but in the dream realm anything is possible! In general, something described as alien is unknown to us but that doesn’t...

Learn more about the meaning of Aliens

As important figures in folklore, vampires can simply be representations of our generic fears and anxieties.As creatures of darkness, vampires can particularly represent fears and anxieties arising out of our...

Learn more about the meaning of Vampire

Example: ‘After our first baby was born I had such nightmares my doctor gave me a tranquilliser to take before going to sleep. I have taken one at bedtime for...

Learn more about the meaning of Trapped

Crucial within the husband / wife relationship are the wife’s feelings about her own sexuality and intimacy of body, mind and spirit. Her view of herself will have been formed...

Learn more about the meaning of Husband / Live-in Partner

Material aspects: In any dream that contains sexual trauma, we are being alerted to our inner fears, not necessarily associated with the sexual act.The violent act of castration in a...

Learn more about the meaning of Castration

Psychological / emotional perspective: Terror in a dream is often the result of unresolved fears and doubts.It is only by experiencing such a profoundly disturbing emotion that are we likely...

Learn more about the meaning of Terror / Terrorist

A pun, implying issues of “under-standing.” Aching, painful, or injured feet imply a misunderstanding between you and a loved one. Bathing the feet, however, hints at a resolution of any...

Learn more about the meaning of Feet

(1) For a woman, it might express doubts about her femininity, or fears of (sexual) frigidity. In such a case, it may be that your partner is not right for...

Learn more about the meaning of Mermaid

A dream of a clear, starry night, with a full moon, is an omen of positive things to come.A dark, cloudy night with no moon represents the dreamer’s fears. Look...

Learn more about the meaning of Night

Dreams of Hell are venting dreams of your greatest fears and most disassociated shadow figures.A terrifying dream such as this is a golden opportunity for you to embrace your shadow,...

Learn more about the meaning of Hell

Vision: Dreaming about fever means that you are living out unconscious fears. Fever dreams mean that the unconscious is hard at work dealing with repressed emotions or fears. Sometimes it...

Learn more about the meaning of Fever

Feelings or insights about death; fears we face when beginning the meeting with contents of our own unconscious, unconscious family influences. Bodies in tomb: our own po­tential; aspects of self...

Learn more about the meaning of Tomb

The origin of dreams of being chased or attacked probably dates back to an era when humans fought off beasts or other tribal members to survive. The ‘monsters’ of today...

Learn more about the meaning of Chased / Attacked

Lice, fleas, bugs: things said, thought or done which make you feel uncomfonable or ashamed; feelings that one is, or someone else is, a parasite in a relationship.Example: I was...

Learn more about the meaning of Parasites

In general, the snake can be one of the most powerful forces emerging from a dream.The power of Snake bnngs active libidinous or sexual energy out of the subconscious for...

Learn more about the meaning of Snake

Beating self up.Repatterning is needed. This is a common dream which usually represents underlying fears and feelings of inadequacy and helplessness. Interpret your dream by considering your primary fears, current...

Learn more about the meaning of Falling

One fears one’s secrets will be exposed.

Learn more about the meaning of Expose

Visualization of hopes and fears.

Learn more about the meaning of Future

Your fears and anxieties are groundless.

Learn more about the meaning of Itch

Fears that one might not be able to commu­nicate clearly.

Learn more about the meaning of Impediment (speech)

1. Deliberate ignorance.2. Fears of castration.

Learn more about the meaning of Blind (person)

Recognition in your dreams that you have done something you should be proud of and have overcome your fears.

Learn more about the meaning of Trophy

Dreams of death are very common in that it is the job of our subconscious mind to keep us alive, so your dreams are assisting you to process your fears...

Learn more about the meaning of Death

The shark has a universal significance as a deadly predator, so if you dreamed of swimming happily at the beach but then were terrified to see a shark’s fin circling...

Learn more about the meaning of Shark

1. Overwhelmed by fears; paralyzed with anxiety, pre­venting action.

Learn more about the meaning of Paranoia

1. Problems one is not confronting.2. Bad habits one can’t break.3. Nameless fears.

Learn more about the meaning of Stalk

also see GhostAt its very basic level, we all have fears and feelings about death, and the appearance of Spirit helps us to come to terms with these. It will...

Learn more about the meaning of Spirits

1- Terror in a dream is often the result of unresolved fears and doubts.It is only by experiencing such a profoundly disturbing emotion that are we likely to make an...

Learn more about the meaning of Terror

Afraid to see yourself as you actually are, to manifest goals, get on with growth. Fears are preventing you from daring to be yourself.

Learn more about the meaning of Coward

1. Bitter disappointments.2. Possible health issue.3. Out-of-control anxieties, fears.

Learn more about the meaning of Nightmare

1. Fear of being caught for something one has done se­cretly.2. Fears of medical problems (cardiac arrest).

Learn more about the meaning of Arrested

1. Possible illness.2. Extreme fatigue, usually from some situation.3. Worries and fears concerning a love relationship.

Learn more about the meaning of Haggard

Cleansing of the body; let go and release guilts, fears and hurts, suppressed emotions.

Learn more about the meaning of Laxative

Process of growth: releasing all the negative, all fears, so positive awareness of self may emerge.

Learn more about the meaning of Pandora’s Box

Emotions infected by fears, self doubts, jealousy, etc.; occasionally sign of physical illness.

Learn more about the meaning of Pus

1. One is missing some emotional component or atti­tude.2. If on a diet, one fears that he/she is not eating enough.

Learn more about the meaning of Starvation

Expression of oneself, not simply ideas, but subtle feelings or realisations. Spontaneous speech, voice that speaks through or to one: our personality or mind is not a totally unified whole....

Learn more about the meaning of Voice

Insects are often considered to be irritating pests and harbingers of disease and infection in the waking world.According to Jungians, the general interpretation of insects in dreams closely follows the...

Learn more about the meaning of Insects And Arachnids

In their positive aspect, spiders represent the feminine capacity for creating something beautiful that has not existed before. Spider energy is also connected with patience and success through skill. On...

Learn more about the meaning of Spider

(Claim, Search, Wanted) In a dream, pursuit means one’s destiny, or death. Ifone sees himselfwanted by his enemy in a dream, it means that he may die shortly. On the...

Learn more about the meaning of Pursuit

Costumes represent inner fears or desires one has not recognized. What one pretends to be or wishes to be in life; roles.

Learn more about the meaning of Halloween

Your innermost fears or negative attitudes that are seen as larger than you can handle.See also NIGHTMARES; SURREALISM AND FANTASY

Learn more about the meaning of Monster

Conflict between different aspects of self—per­haps sexual urges and social fears, or personal boundaries.

Learn more about the meaning of Temptation

To see a wreck in your dream, foretells that you will be harassed with fears of destitution or sudden failure in business.See other like words.

Learn more about the meaning of Wrecks

Memories of something repressed. Points to fears and difficulties during your time in school. At issue here is knowledge and being tested.See Table.

Learn more about the meaning of Blackboard

1. Relief or elimination of burdens.2. Unloading unex­pressed fears and anxieties.3. Low self-worth, self-esteem (to be defecated on).

Learn more about the meaning of Defecation

Uncontrollable, unnatural releasing of negative thinking or fears. Flushing out wastes you have been unwilling to release, but now have no choice.

Learn more about the meaning of Diarrhea

If you dream of puppets, you are worried about being controlled by outside influences - or repressed fears - which are preventing your progress or enjoyment in life.

Learn more about the meaning of Puppet

Something is losing importance, power; deflated image of self. To eliminate the weight of fears, concerns, by shrinking them down to size.

Learn more about the meaning of Shrink

1. Something one fears getting for an indiscretion of some sort.2. If slapped, one feels disrespected.3. If the dreamer slaps someone, it indicates a disrespect toward that person or his/her...

Learn more about the meaning of Slap

1. Fears of a loss of sexual potency.2. Fear of advancing age.3. Feeling well-loved (completely bald).4. A measure of virility.

Learn more about the meaning of Baldness

Caution, danger. Carefully examine what you have been suppressing. Open up, verbalize, deal with fears and emotions now. Seek help if needed.

Learn more about the meaning of Dynamite

1. Passionate friendships.2. Conflicts are temporary.3. Need to take goals and ambitions more seriously.4. Return to old ways of thinking, old worries and fears.

Learn more about the meaning of High School

1. One feels sick inside.2. Sexual or phallic symbol.3. Be­ing forced to accept ideas or situations one disagrees with or fears.

Learn more about the meaning of Injection

Anxiety that something or someone is getting a hold on us. Sometimes fear of something is the power which actually dominates us, not the thing itself. Each of us have...

Learn more about the meaning of Addicted

Something eating away at you, bothering you, taking energy. Examine level of stress, anxieties, fears; rid self of extra burdens and negative thinking.

Learn more about the meaning of Gnaw

1. Good and exciting, maybe romantic, things are on the way, possibly due to travels or changes.2. A need to focus on the “here and now” and rely less on...

Learn more about the meaning of Horoscope

Letting go of the past as we knew it, and opening the way to a meeting with what we gained from it; repressing experience which may be painful or we...

Learn more about the meaning of Burial

Dreams of mud wrestling represent that you are fighting with your shadow or grappling with your fears. This dream could reflect that you have been wallowing in your darkness, and...

Learn more about the meaning of Mud Wrestle

As with women dreaming about their husbands, to dream of your wife may simply be a dream about your relationship and your unconscious feelings about it. This dream may be...

Learn more about the meaning of Wife

Nightmares draw your attention to the many hidden fears that may be preventing you from moving forward. In general, nightmares are those dreams that are painful, unpleasant, and frightening. Dream...

Learn more about the meaning of Nightmares

Handcuffs are a binding symbol and spiritually would suggest that we are being hampered, probably by our own doubts and fears.

Learn more about the meaning of Handcuffs

In spiritual terms a winner is someone who has overcome their own fears and doubts to ‘win through’ to their own personal excellence.

Learn more about the meaning of Win / Winner

To dream of your pet cat may symbolize worries and fears about your pet’s wellbeing.A black cat may symbolize woe to an unbeliever

Learn more about the meaning of Cat

A laboratory symbolizes a place to experiment with one’s inner feelings, beliefs, and fears.

Learn more about the meaning of Laboratory

Worries, fears, and apprehension that may have been discounted or banished from one’s mind often find expression in dreams of anxiety.

Learn more about the meaning of Anxiety

Minor irritations; fears and worries, the mousy or timid part of self, the activities within us—our house—which go on unconsciously, which might be important though small, or gnaw away at...

Learn more about the meaning of Mouse

To dream of wrestling signifies that you are grappling with conflicting needs, feeling the tension of opposite aspects of yourself creating an inner conflict, and/or you are engaged in the...

Learn more about the meaning of Wrestle

Acting xenophobic with a stranger shows your own fears and insecurities, and could be in the working field or in amorous relationships. Being rejected by this type of attitude denotes...

Learn more about the meaning of X Xenophobia

If you dream of a problem with your kidney, then you have fears of growing up or a fear of being criticized. You also may be processing criticism you’ve recently...

Learn more about the meaning of Kidney

To dream that you are coughing, represents your fears or anxieties about the future. This dream can also mean that you have made a negative choice in some important matter.

Learn more about the meaning of Cough

A hailstorm may come to comment that your fears are bombarding you. It may point to a situation in which you felt bombarded by others’ expectations or by someone who...

Learn more about the meaning of Hail

A to Z Dream Interpretation