I’m sure most of us have had dreams so bizarre, so outrageous, and memorable that you find yourself asking why? Why did I have this dream, and what does it mean? Below, I have listed some of the most common and bizarre dreams people frequently have and why they have them.
Teeth Falling Out Dream
After doing some research I discovered that many people frequently have a recurring dream where their teeth fall out. In the dream individuals will be doing everyday things, such as brushing their teeth, working, eating, and socializing with friends. As they perform these tasks, for whatever reason teeth will suddenly detach from their gums, falling to the floor or into the individual hands. According to Feud, the dream represents various sexual references, such sexual repression or fear of castration for men. Others such as Jung believe that the dream represents issues with personal power and the ability to renew oneself. For instance, the dream represents a fear of change or losing something that is important to you. Many have reported having the dream after experiencing dramatic life changes. Life changes such as death, aging, moving away, loss of friendships, and other life changing situations.
Paralysis Nightmare
I actually have had experience with this reoccurring nightmare. Sleep paralysis occurs when a person is either falling asleep or awakening, temporarily experiences an inability to move, speak, or react. In my dream I am fully conscious lying in my bed, making the dream appear to be very realistic. As I lay there, a shadowy figure either stands by my bed or in the corner of the room. I want to jump out of bed and scream at who or whatever it is, but can’t because I am paralyzed. It’s as though my fight or flight response is nonexistent, and I am at the mercy of the intruder. The figure in my dream varies, most of the time it’s a shadowy man wearing a hood. Sometime it can be a woman with long black hair, and others it can be an alien shaped figure, with the classic large head and thin abdomen. References of this nightmare have been used in many Hollywood movies, such as Insidious and Dark Skies. (See Pics Below) The cause of this nightmare comes from stress or extreme exhaustion. I usually have this nightmare during stressful times where I don’t get lot of sleep, such as finals week.
Being Late
As we grow older we are faced with greater responsibilities, such as being on time. This dream is very common for many adults and includes being late for an appointment, college exam, work meeting, children’s sporting event, etc. The dreams meaning can vary, but for the most part represents taking too much time away from individual needs, such as leisure and personal accomplishments, creating a sense that time is running out. Essentially the dream is a symbol of the frustration toward the obligations one has in their life. It can also be correlated with difficulty making decisions with new opportunities, or a fear of change, the sense that you are missing out on life’s opportunities
The Classic Falling Dream
The classic dream where one loses their balance and suddenly falls out of control. This dream is very common and usually represents interpersonal issues such as insecurities, instability, and anxieties. The dream emphasizes a sense of being overwhelmed, out of control, and helpless as you fall. The dream can be correlated with issues with failure or an inferiority complex. Life experiences such as job loss, poor academic performance, and relationship issues can be the catalyst for the dream. According to Freud, the dream represents contemplating situations, such as giving into sexual urges or impulses. This dream occurs during the first stage of sleep, the individual is not completely paralyzed. The dream is usually accompanied with muscle spasms of the arm or leg, causing the individual to wake up before hitting the ground.
Chasing Dream
This dream consists of being chased by something, usually a viscous dog or person. As the individual is being chased they find themselves too slow or unable to move. This dream deals primarily our fight or flight response. The dream usually represents an individual or issues that were trying to avoid, but unfortunately cannot. These issues can include inter and intra personal conflicts. For instance aging can be represented in the dream. For people who are afraid to get old the chaser can represent the issue or conflict you are trying to avoid or escape.