Dream Of Hitting Someone In The Head? The 98 Correct Answer

The brain can actively forget during dream sleep

NIH-funded study suggests REM sleep may prevent information overload.

Yamanaka Laboratory, University of Nagoya, Japan

Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep is a fascinating time when most of our dreams are made. Now, in a study on mice, a team of Japanese and American researchers shows that there can also be a time when the brain is actively forgetting. Their results suggest that forgetting during sleep may be controlled by neurons located deep in the brain that were previously known to produce an appetite-stimulating hormone. The study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

“Have you ever wondered why we forget many of our dreams?” said Thomas Kilduff, Ph.D., director of the Center for Neuroscience at SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif., and senior author of the study, published in Science. “Our results suggest that firing a specific group of neurons during REM sleep controls whether the brain remembers new information after a good night’s sleep.”

REM is one of several stages of sleep that the body goes through each night. It first appears about 90 minutes after falling asleep and is characterized by darting eyes, increased heart rate, paralyzed limbs, awakened brain waves, and dreaming.

For more than a century, scientists have studied the role of sleep in storing memories. While many have shown that sleep helps the brain store new memories, others, including Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of the DNA double helix, have raised the possibility that sleep — particularly REM sleep — could be a time when that Brain actively eliminates or forgets superfluous information. Additionally, recent studies in mice have shown that during sleep—including REM sleep—the brain selectively breaks down synaptic connections between neurons involved in certain types of learning. However, until this study, no one had shown how this could happen.

“Understanding the role of sleep in forgetting can help researchers better understand a wide range of memory-related diseases, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and Alzheimer’s,” said Janet He, Ph.D., program director at NINDS. “This study provides the most direct evidence that REM sleep may play a role in how the brain decides which memories to store.”

dr Kilduff’s lab and that of his collaborator Akihiro Yamanaka, Ph.D., at Nagoya University in Japan have spent years studying the role of a hormone called hypocretin/orexin in controlling sleep and narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a disorder that causes people to feel excessively sleepy during the day and sometimes experience changes resembling REM sleep, such as loss of muscle tone in the limbs and hallucinations. Her labs and others helped show how narcolepsy may be linked to the loss of hypocretin/orexin-producing neurons in the hypothalamus, a peanut-sized area deep in the brain

In this study, Dr. Kilduff with the laboratory of Dr. Yamanaka and Akira Terao, D.V.M., Ph.D., at Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, together to study neighboring cells that produce melanin concentration hormone (MCH), a known molecule involved in the control of sleep and appetite to be. Consistent with previous studies, the researchers found that a majority (52.8%) of hypothalamic MCH cells fired when mice were undergoing REM sleep, while about 35% fired only when mice were awake, and about 12% both times.

They also discovered evidence that these cells may play a role in learning and memory. Electrical recordings and tracking experiments showed that many of the hypothalamic MCH cells sent inhibitory messages down long, sinewy axons to the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center.

“We already knew from previous studies done in other labs that MCH cells were active during REM sleep. After discovering this new circuitry, we thought these cells might help the brain store memories,” said Dr. Kilduff.

To test this idea, the researchers used a variety of genetic tools to turn MCH neurons on and off in mice during memory tests. In particular, they studied the role played by MCH cells in storage, the time after learning something new but before the new knowledge is stored or consolidated in long-term memory. The scientists used several memory tests, including one that assessed mice’s ability to distinguish between new and familiar objects.

To their surprise, they found that turning MCH cells “on” during storage worsened memory, while turning them off improved memory. For example, activating the cells reduced the time mice spent sniffing around new objects compared to familiar ones, but turning the cells off had the opposite effect.

Further experiments suggested that MCH neurons exclusively played this role during REM sleep. Mice performed better on memory tests when MCH neurons were turned off during REM sleep. In contrast, turning off the neurons while the mice were awake or in other sleep states had no effect on memory.

“These results suggest that MCH neurons help the brain actively forget new, potentially unimportant information,” said Dr. Kilduff. “Since dreams are thought to occur mainly during REM sleep, the sleep stage in which MCH cells turn on, activation of these cells can prevent the contents of a dream from being stored in the hippocampus – hence the dream is quickly forgotten.” .”

In the future, the researchers want to investigate whether this new circuit plays a role in sleep and memory disorders.

This work was supported by grants from: the NIH (NS098813); the Japan Science and Technology Agency CREST program (JPMJCR1656); and the KAKENHI program of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (26293046, 26640041, 16H01271, 17H05563, 18H02523, 18KK0223, 18H05124, 15K07140, 18H02477, 18J21663 to S.I.).

This press release describes a fundamental research finding. Basic research advances our understanding of human behavior and biology, which provides the basis for developing new and better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease. Science is an unpredictable and incremental process – each advance in research builds on previous discoveries, often in unexpected ways. Most clinical advances would not be possible without the knowledge of basic research.

NINDS is the nation’s leading funder of research into the brain and nervous system. The mission of NINDS is to gain fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use this knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological diseases.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, comprises 27 institutes and centers and is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The NIH is the primary federal agency that conducts and supports basic, clinical, and translational medical research investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for common and rare diseases. For more information about the NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH… Turning Discovery into Health®

What it means when you dream about fighting someone

As unusual as they are, our dreams can actually tell us a lot about ourselves. While some researchers believe they’re “just noise,” other people tend to believe that the content of our dreams can be psychoanalyzed and linked to our subconscious (via Psychology Today). And what we dream of has a deeper meaning.

This can definitely be a relief if you just had a dream where you were physically fighting someone. If you consider yourself a lover and not a fighter, a dream with a real fight can be more like a nightmare. Times Now News believes that a dream about fighting could mean that you have some pent-up anger inside. If you are someone who holds back their emotions and does not like starting fights in real life, you can release and vent this energy in your dreams. The meaning of the dream can also change drastically depending on who you are fighting in your dream.

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They dream of being pursued, attacked or frightened. You open your mouth to scream and nothing comes out. It’s happened to almost everyone. And if you can’t scream in a dream, according to the Dream Dictionary on GotoHoroscope.com, it’s actually a sign that you’re having trouble expressing yourself when you’re awake. “You feel all sorts of emotions coming up in your waking life, and [people] are urging you not to express them,” the dream dictionary explained.

Read more: What do dreams about cats mean? Here’s what experts say

If you have dreams in which you can’t scream on a regular basis, it’s worth taking a look at what you’re not saying in waking life. Dreams aren’t usually literal – you’re unlikely to be followed and find yourself unable to scream IRL. Dreams are metaphors, and they are how your brain processes information while you sleep.

“[One] theory about dreaming suggests that dreams embody the processes of memory consolidation, learning, and unlearning that occur during the various stages of sleep, particularly deep sleep and REM sleep,” wrote Dr. Dennis Rosen for Psychology Today. “As new information is integrated into memory, the strengthening of synaptic connections and the obliteration of others leads to the creation of images that manifest as dreams.”

Stock Association / Shutterstock

When you are emotionally blocked, you may not even be aware that you are not expressing yourself. But when you sleep, your brain processes this information and stores it in your memory. If you have not yet dealt with your emotions in IRL, this could be the reason why you cannot scream in a dream no matter how hard you try.

There are tons of Reddit threads and other message boards about not being able to scream in dreams, which means a lot of people are suppressing their emotions. If you are unable to scream or yell during a dream, “You have a hard time speaking your mind, standing up for yourself, or calling for help in waking life. Maybe you feel like no one can hear you when you do it,” Reddit user ohbodes noted.

The website The Curious Dreamer reported that the inability to call for help in a dream means you feel helpless in waking life. It could be a sign that things like pride, shyness, or self-sabotage are keeping you from asking for help when you need it most. To dream that you have lost your voice and cannot speak or scream means you feel like you have no control over your life, feel ignored, or are afraid to stand up for yourself.

Stick Bakery / Shutterstock

If you are unable to realistically express your repressed emotions, GotoHoroscope.com suggests expressing those feelings in other ways. For example, scream into a pillow or go to a place where screaming is encouraged, like a concert. “You really just have to scream and let it all out to stop having dreams where you can’t scream,” the website reads. You can also turn up the tunes and scream in your car like Christina Applegate’s character in Dead to Me.

If you consistently have dreams where you can’t find your voice, you should evaluate your life to identify situations where you’ve felt powerless, people you’re not expressing yourself to, and areas of your life that feel outside are under your control. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to ask a friend or even a therapist for help. Once you start acknowledging your emotions and fully expressing yourself, the dreams should stop.

from dr Angel Morgan via DreamsCloud

In recent years, sharing dreams online has become more common and popular. In reading these dream narratives, I have found that there are some frequently repeated questions about dream violence that deserve comment and discussion. In the interest of dream parenting, let’s get this conversation started.

The most common question I see after sharing a dream with violence (and usually some kind of bloody death) in it is “Why am I dreaming this??!!” There are usually more comments like “I would never hurt that person” or “I’m not a violent person at all, so why did I dream that?”

Of course, the answer always depends on the dreamer’s life circumstances, and we are all unique. However, there are some truths that can be shared about the dreaming process that can help alleviate some of the anxiety and pain that many dreamers unnecessarily suffer.

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Unless the dream is extraordinary (1), our ordinary dreams tend to be symbolic, using metaphors or wordplay to tell a story about what we are feeling and experiencing that is most preoccupying us at the time of the dream. So, dream violence may or may not have something to do with waking life violence.

For example, if someone has experienced violence in waking life, then violence can enter that person’s dream because they need to process and eventually heal what happened. This is commonly experienced with PTSD nightmares (2). In these situations, sometimes violence is dreamed of as an accurate memory, while other times, violence experienced takes on a new form that is symbolic of what happened while retaining the emotional charge.

On the other hand, what about those violent dreams that confuse so many people because they think they are peaceful sweethearts? The symbolism really plays a role here. I will demonstrate what I mean with a dream I had last night.

In my dream, an adorable little fox (reminding me of my son when he was a toddler) is in my care. Although he is a wild fox, I feed him. Suddenly I see blood spurting from his ear and I know he was either poisoned, bombed or both. In fact, he’s dying. I offer to take him to the forest (because I know he should die there, not under my care). He looks happy and says yes, I should go to the forest with him. I hug him. He runs into the forest where I know he will die.

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This dream wasn’t as sad or scary as it might seem because I understood its symbolic meaning. In waking life my 18 year old son who is my youngest child (little fox) has just moved to another state for college. He is going through a process of transformation (death/rebirth) into an adult by living in the adult world (forest) without me. This process changes us and it is no longer appropriate to hold on to an image of him as an infant. My role as his mother now is to let him go so he can grow up. It’s not easy, but we both know it’s necessary and right for his development. When I woke up, I imagined the little fox’s transition from his death to a rebirth of my grown son – swinging on the forest vines, Tarzan-like.

In waking life I do not condone violence. When violence occurs in dreams, I see it as a reflection of intense feelings and mostly as a problem to be solved. Our dreaming minds brilliantly reveal symbols that tell a story about what worries us most. Then it is our job to learn, decipher and decide what our own dreams mean. In this process we can discover the symbolic role of dream violence and how it can sometimes serve us in our evolving self-discovery, health and wholeness.

If someone you love, care for, work with or just saw walking by on the street appears in a dream violently injured, dying or dead (and you can rule out a literal interpretation because you know that he is fine in waking life). , here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you puzzle out your unique dream vocabulary.

If someone is violently wounded in a dream:

How do I feel that this person (or the part of me that reminds me of this person) is hurt?

How do I feel hurt by something this person said or did that felt negative?

If someone dies or is dead in a dream:

How do I feel that something about this person (or the part of me that reminds me of this person) is changing?

How do I connect that person (or that person’s habits and behaviors) to something negative that no longer serves me in my life?

Our dreams can help us identify what we authentically feel about what is happening in our lives, endeavors, and relationships. While there are always exceptions, when violence occurs in our dreams, it usually doesn’t mean that we are acting violently or wanting to hurt someone in waking life. Imagining a successful cure or completing the transformation process (e.g. Little Fox to Tarzan) can really help dreamers feel better about dream violence that they were previously confused about.

Do violent movies, TV shows, and video games cause violent dreams?

Yes, anything we “pick up” during waking life can appear in our dreams. However, the way our dreaming mind uses these images always depends on the dreamer. Sometimes when there is a need to change unhealthy habits or behaviors in waking life, imagery from a violent movie in a dream can actually be helpful. For example, in the early 2000s, I hadn’t seen a violent film in a long time. Because Russell Crowe was the star, I checked out Gladiator (3). That night I had a gladiator nightmare that “killed” all the negative energy in my life that I had been feeling stuck in. When we don’t identify as violent people in waking life, our dreaming minds often use gladiators or others we recognize as murderers to do the dirty work and help us “houseclean” in dreams.

Do people dream of killing a lot?

To give another example of symbolism, some violent dreams about fight and kill may represent the process of physical illness as cells fight to make the dreamer healthy. There are many reasons why people have violent dreams and it would be a mistake to think that reading someone’s murder dreams means they are a murderer in waking life.

Can dreams predict who will commit a crime?

What violent criminals dream of is more complex. Given the role of symbolism in ordinary dream language, people are clearly not criminals if they have violent dreams unless they act on them in waking life. In other words, dream narratives cannot predict who will commit crimes unless dreamers include waking life intent to commit a crime in that narrative.

How often do psychologists take violent dreams seriously when talking to patients?

When psychologists are trained to work with dreams, they have a deeper knowledge to help patients work with their violent dreams… and are less likely to confuse a violent dream (in itself) with an intention to im do damage in waking life. In therapy, the right questions must be asked, and that is the art of every therapist. Unfortunately, most universities do not require undergraduate psychologists to take a course in dreams, although this may seem counterintuitive and even ridiculous to those of us who specialize in dreams in the field of psychology.

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Learning to distinguish between dream violence and waking life violence is important for mental health in our society (4), and understanding what each violent dream means is the task of each individual dreamer. The growth of online dream exchanges is a healthy development. I enjoy seeing more people develop sympathy, understanding, self-esteem, and community (5). There is no one size fits all for dream interpretation, including dreams about violence, but dispelling dream anxiety with dream knowledge is a big step in the right direction (6).

References:

Krippner, S., Bogzaran, F., & de Carvalho, A.P. (2002). Extraordinary dreams and how to work with them. New York: New York State University Press.

Krippner S, Pitchford DB, & Davies J (2012). Post-traumatic stress disorder (disease biographies). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CIO/Greenwood.

Scott, R. (Director). (2000). Gladiators [movie]. Glendale, CA: DreamWorks SKG/Universal City, CA: Universal Pictures.

Stewart, K. (1954). Mental hygiene and world peace. Mental Hygiene 38, 387-403.

Morgan, A.K. (2014, December). Sharing Dreams as Healing: Tropical Roots and Contemporary Community Potential. Journal of Tropical Psychology, 4(e12). Cambridge University Press: doi:10.1017/jtp.2014.12.

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Waking up from a dream where someone you know is angry with you can make you feel a little uncomfortable. While dreams are open to interpretation, these types of dreams can still leave you wondering what it all actually means. If you sometimes dream that someone is mad at you, it may mean that they are actually mad at you. But according to dream experts, that’s usually not the case.

“The purpose of dream interpretation is to become consciously aware of something that your brain already knows, and only at the conscious level can you take steps to address the problem,” Claire Harrison, a Reiki master and certified dream interpreter, tells Bustle. “If you dream of someone being mad at you, it usually means that on a subconscious level you are angry at some aspect of yourself.”

One of the most popular theories about dreaming about other people is that the people in your dreams represent aspects of you that need to be addressed. For example, if you dream that your friend is mad at you, Lauri Loewenberg, a certified dream analyst, tells Bustle, you may be mad at yourself about that friend. You may feel guilty for not being there for them, when they needed you the most. Now this guilt is addressed in your dream.

9nong/Shutterstock

To dream of a friend being crazy can also represent a need to be a friend to yourself. If you’ve been pretty hard on yourself lately, your dream may be telling you to be kinder, more loving, more understanding, and more forgiving.

“It’s super important to pay attention to what you’re saying in a dream because it’s really something you’re saying to yourself,” says Loewenberg. “Dreams are a conversation with the self about yourself. Whatever is said to you should give you good and honest insight into what you are angry about.”

If you are physically fighting with someone in your dream, it could mean that you are “brawling” over something that is going on in your life. The dream can be a way for you to express the anger you are feeling and to process it.

Anger in dreams should be addressed

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Often dreams have no real effect on you. But when emotions like anger or fear are involved, it can affect your mood.

According to Loewenberg, anger is one of the most common emotions felt in dreams. “In my experience and research, it’s the third most common emotion in dreams — the first being frustration and the second being fear,” she says.

In general it is important to get to the root of your anger dreams as they are usually related to a problem in your waking life. Whether you dream about someone being mad at you or you are the one who is always mad, it is unhealthy to carry heavy, negative emotions around for too long. If not activated, it can leave you feeling defensive, bitter, and anxious.

If you have recurring angry dreams, it is a warning sign that something needs to be addressed. “Find out what it is and find a healthy way to process it so you can let it go,” says Loewenberg, and “your dreams will continue to torment you” until you do something about it.

Other symbols of anger that can appear in dreams are the color red, fire, attacking animals, and conflict.

How to find out what your dream is really trying to tell you

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If you dream about someone being mad at you, the first step is to find out if there really is a reason to be mad. If not, it may be a problem within yourself. To find out what the problem is, there is an exercise you can try.

According to Harrison, all you need is a pen, your journal, and about 15 minutes of quiet time. Take some time to breathe and get into a meditative state about your dream and the person in it. Once you get there, ask yourself, “When I think of this person’s impact on my life, what word comes to mind?” Write the word along with the person’s name, and then spend time analyzing what that might mean to you. For example, how does this word apply to your life? What does it mean to you personally? You can write down anything that comes to your mind.

“When you feel like you’ve completed the exercise, review what you wrote,” says Harrison. “You should be able to identify the aspect of yourself that is not serving you and the steps you can take to change it now so that it brings you joy.”

Some dreams can really linger on you. If you consistently have dreams where anger is a central theme, it’s worth looking into just in case you really need to work through something.

Experts |

Claire Harrison, Reiki Master, Certified Dream Interpreter

Lauri Loewenberg, professional dream analyst, author of Dream On It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life

You are not the only one making the whole global pandemic thing worse, there is a surge in people dreaming about their ex. Fear not: COVID-19 has no plans to get you and your ex back together. And no, “dreaming of an ex” is not a symptom of the disease. Certified dream analyst Lauri Loewenberg says that in general (read: pandemic or not), dreaming about an ex is very (very!) normal. Why exactly has the implementation of physical distancing led to an increase in ex dreams? Below, Loewenberg and three certified therapists answer that very question. Plus what 23 different ex-dreams are trying to tell you — if anything. HEALTHLINE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE Stay up-to-date on the current COVID-19 outbreak with our live updates. Also visit our coronavirus hub for more information on how to prepare, advice on prevention and treatment, and expert recommendations.

Why the Pandemic Blamed Your Ex Dreams There are a few reasons why the novel coronavirus has caused your ex to end up in your dreams. You Have More Free Time Whether you were recently laid off (condolences) or are simply bored without the gym or bar to fill your off hours, Loewenberg points out that most people have more free time on their hands. “Lockdown has given a lot of people a lot more time to think about their interpersonal relationships — including their exes,” she says. Basically, the dreams are simply a symptom of staying in the past for a long time. You Slept More Than Usual Many people are also spending more hours napping than they did before the pandemic. “Without a morning alert (or with a later alert), many people may now be entering the final phase of their REM cycle during quarantine,” says Loewenberg. And this stage is associated with deeper sleep and dream memory. So not only are you dreaming about your ex more, you are also more likely to remember them. Pooh. They Mourn “Right now, we are collectively experiencing the loss of life as we knew it,” says Brooklyn-based psychotherapist Aimee Barr, LCSW. “It’s very common for figures from the past to surface during times of grief.” You’re Lonely Even if you’re not quarantining alone, physical distancing has likely caused you to spend a lot less time with people you care about . “It’s normal for the subconscious to return to a point in your life where you could spend whatever you wanted on people who cared about you at the time and vice versa,” Loewenberg says. They’re Anxious “Due to a heightened sense of anxiety and insecurity in our waking life, many of the dreams people are currently having are nightmares,” says Sula Malina, a therapist in training at the Gender & Sexuality Therapy Center in NYC. “That said, many people have dreams that depict another anxiety-provoking situation (like a breakup or a painful relationship).”

It’s usually related to one of these underlying issues. Every dream about an ex is as unique as that ex themselves, but Loewenberg says it generally boils down to emotional dissatisfaction

sexual dissatisfaction

unresolved feelings about the ex or the breakup

released feelings about the ex or this breakup

Exploring Specific Dream Scenarios These wild times have resulted in a long list of wild dreams, ranging from scary to sweet to violent. Below we go over the most common ones. If It’s a Long-Term Ex “Dreaming of a long-term ex–especially first love–is incredibly common,” says Loewenberg. “This ex becomes a symbol of passion, unbridled desire, unabashed love, etc.” These dreams are your subconscious’s way of telling you that you want more ~spice~ in your life. When it comes to a recent ex, it seems like your subconscious is trying to sabotage all the hard work you put in in your waking hours to get over that person. On the contrary, Loewenberg says, “Your subconscious is actually trying to help you heal and process how you’re feeling about the breakup.” If You’ve Been Abusive To dream of an abusive or toxic ex (think: physical or mental abusive, serial cheaters, etc.) is a very common trauma response, says Malina. According to Loewenberg, if you’re dreaming about an abusive ex, it’s probably because in your waking hours you’re still trying to find a W-H-Y behind what happened. If during waking hours you are “beating yourself up” about that past relationship, the dream could symbolize the abuse you are now subjecting yourself to by rumination. If you miss them or they miss you What qualities did your ex have that you’re missing in your life right now? For example, if your ex was funny, set up a Zoom date with another funny friend. What qualities did your ex bring out in you? Time to use these without your ex’s help! If you want them back or they want you back again, think about the qualities you liked about your ex or the qualities your ex had when you were together that you want back in your life! If someone apologizes to an ex in your dream ≠ your ex is really sorry IRL! Rather, it’s just your brain conjuring up a scene that features exactly what you wish your ex would have said. And if you’re the one apologizing? Chances are you’ve done or said something recently that you regret. The dream = your first attempt at redemption. When someone confronts the other about past mistakes “When you have a dream where you confront someone, you are confronting the part of you that was hurt by that person,” says Loewenberg. “It’s your way of slowly coming to terms with how you were hurt.” If you’re getting babes back together, it’s time to look deep and consider whether or not you would actually get back with an ex, should they cringe . If you want, it’s time to remember why you broke up in the first place. They were probably damn good reasons! (This is where a therapist or protective BFF can be very helpful). However, if you have ZERO interest in that ex in your waking hours, the dream is a sign that you have made peace with the relationship and learned the lessons you had to learn from it. Exciting! When you fall in love again, says Loewenberg, it indicates that you long to feel cared for and loved now. Pretty damn understandable wish in the middle of a pandemic, right? If you get physical aka kisses, touches and the like. In dreams, sex = connection. So, it’s time to check if you actually want to reconnect with that ex. This is another instance where it can be helpful to make a list of the reasons for the breakup. Adds Loewenberg, “When you have a child together, it’s not about sex or kissing, it’s about bonding for the good of the child.” Good to know! If you have a child together Don’t take a pregnancy test just yet! In dreams, children represent promise and new growth. Here the dream probably means that your ex will allow you to give birth to a new part of yourself. If you’re struggling “Dreams like this suggest that there is a current conflict in your life,” says Loewenberg. Given that we’re all going through major routine upheavals right now, this is normal. If someone is cheating on the other “If your ex has indeed cheated on you and you have dreams that he is cheating on you, it is a sign that you are bringing distrust into your current relationship,” says Loewenberg. “If you dream that you did it even if you didn’t, then there’s probably something about your current relationship that’s making you feel like the third wheel.” Think: the Xbox, the TV show or the kid. If you break up again Was the breakup recent? Calm down! You are still processing. Was it a while ago? Ask yourself what else in your life is making you feel rejected. Have you recently been made redundant due to COVID-19? Has one of your BFFs started texting or calling a lot less? If they’re in a new relationship Cool, cool, so deal with the fact that your ex will (or is already) moving on. Conclusion: time for you too! Whether they are in danger Depends on whether you are trying to save them or not. If you’re playing the knight in shining armor, there’s probably a lesson you need to take away from the relationship. For example, has your ex brought out your extroverted side? Your subconscious is reminding you to tighten your schmoozing muscle IRL. If you haven’t tried to save her, that’s actually a sign that you’re letting go of this relationship. boo-bye! If they died, congratulations! This dream indicates that you have let go of the past and you are ready to move on. If they kill you murder = forced end. Ask yourself: During my relationship with my ex, did I lose a part of me that I want to get back? For example your: trust

ability to trust

Confidence If you kill her Sayonara baby! You are probably having this dream because you have killed all the lingering bitter feelings you had towards your ex. However, if you are still carrying a lot of anger towards your ex, then this dream could indicate that you still have a lot of anger and hurt to process.

Exploring Pandemic-Specific Dream Scenarios Usually, the thought of seeing an ex-IRL is a nightmare… So why, now that there’s no chance of seeing him, is he making its way into your coronavirus dreams? Let’s investigate. If you are single and dreaming about them, don’t miss your ex. You miss human interaction! And feel loved! And kisses! Loewenberg recommends thinking (though not for too long) about this ex’s positive qualities. Your subconscious might compile a list of qualities to look for in a partner once that *gesture* is over. If you are in a relationship but isolated alone and dreaming about them How did your ex make you feel in your dream? Sexy, adored, groomed or special? Time to plan a digital date night with bae. Your subconscious is telling you that you’re feeling a little neglected right now. If You’re Isolation With a Current Partner and Dreaming About Them Again: How Did Your Ex Make You Feel? If it’s something positive, it’s probably been a minute since your quarantine baby made you feel that way, and you miss that feeling. As Barr says, “Now that people are together 24/7, relationships can feel slightly stale.” She suggests actively planning dates (and tissues) to rekindle the spark. If you dream that you’re developing COVID-19, you still have some ugly feelings towards that ex, says Loewenberg: “Your subconscious uses the virus as a metaphor to show you that you still have something left of your ex, that You need to work through it.” LOL, yes, your ex = the virus. If you’re very over your ex, Loewenberg says, it could indicate that something in one of your current relationships (romantic and/or sexual or not) is feeling unhealthy. Do you become codependent? Do you take each other for granted? Solve after that and the dream will stop.

So… when are these dreams a red flag? According to Barr and Loewenberg: if they become a constant thing (read: nightly or bi-nightly)

when you wake up stressed and find it hard to shake that feeling

when those dreams reflect fantasies you have while awake

What if you’re in a relationship – should you tell your partner? While communication is generally a good thing in relationships, Barr and Loewenberg agree that telling your current boo that your ex-boo is cooling off in your subconscious will do more harm than good. “It’s likely to make your partner insecure and jealous without giving you or him anything,” says Loewenberg. Still, as Jesse Kahn, LCSW-R, CST, the director and sex therapist at The Gender & Sexuality Therapy Center in NYC, says, “There is no ‘should’ when it comes to relationships because every relationship and every person is different. Kahn adds that these questions can help you figure out what’s right for your relationship: Do you want to tell your partner, and if so, what are your intentions and motivations? If you tell your partner, will there be consequences for you or your relationship? How do you feel about these episodes?

How to Talk About It Should you tell your partner the intimate details about these dreams? Probably not. But as Barr points out, our partners are really intuitive. So when you are affected, disturbed or haunted by these dreams, your S.O. probably noticed. Therefore, when your partner asks you what’s going on, Barr suggests sharing the fact that you’ve had some confusing dreams. For example, “I know I’ve been acting great in my head lately. That’s because I was having super vivid dreams with scenes from my past, and that was disorienting me. But I’m here, I love you, and you don’t have to worry.”

“You’re right, I was in a weird mood. My dreams have been really disturbing lately and they have been haunting my waking hours. I promise to let you know if I’d like to discuss this further.”

How to Address the Underlying Problem While sometimes a dream about an ex indicates an enduring love, resentment, or affection for that ex, this is not always the case! Sometimes it highlights: dissatisfaction in a current relationship

Dissatisfaction with current living conditions

that you moved away from your ex

that you are ready to move on from the ex. Ultimately, your next step depends on what the underlying problem is. Regardless, Barr recommends speaking to a teletherapist. “They can help you figure out why these dreams are happening and develop a concrete plan to help you stop them.”

dismembered or exposed in parts or penetrated with a sharp edge or instrument

To dream of a hammer can represent taking the initiative in some way to clarify or resolve a situation. The hammer shows a focus on power and cohesion – with the idea of ​​”hitting the nail on the head” or “knocking out a solution”. If you’re looking for a hammer or if you’ve misplaced it, you may feel powerless in a situation. If the hammer is deformed, you may not see the situation from the right perspective. See also Weapons and Utensils.

Sometimes a phallus or a symbol of assertiveness, the stick can also be associated with a branch of a tree or the idea of ​​breaking away from one’s roots. To dream of a stick can also be a message about holding on to something or exploring commitment. If the symbolism is more related to something sticky or the idea of ​​sticking, try new ways of thinking (head) or relationships (hands) or moving forward (feet), etc. Explore the part of the body that is related to sticking anatomy and body parts. See also Tree and Weapons and Utensils.