Introduction
Understanding the meaning of dreams has fascinated man since ancient times.
In antiquity, dreams were considered as the will of the gods to communicate with men; while today, a psychological meaning is attributed to this normal phenomenon.
The first to attempt to explain the meaning of dreams was the well-known father of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud who, in this regard, in 1899 published a book entitled " The interpretation of dreams ". From then to the present day, various psychoanalysts and psychologists have tried to suggest different interpretations that were able to explain why one dreams and what meaning can be attributed to such a phenomenon.
In the field of psychoanalysis, the most widespread theories about the interpretation of the meaning of dreams are undoubtedly those of Freud and those of the Swiss psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung. Of course, there is no shortage of interpretations of dreams based on urban legends or popular beliefs which, however, will not be taken into consideration in this article.
What are
What are Dreams?
Before trying to understand which models of interpretation of the meaning of the most adopted dreams, it can be useful to take a step back and understand what dreams are exactly.
The literal dream definition is: " Mental activity that occurs during sleep ". This activity can be more or less clear and detailed, it can have a more or less coherent narrative structure, it is characterized by mainly visual sensations and, sometimes, it can foresee the emotional involvement of the individual .
Indicatively, it is believed that a person can dream on average two hours a night and that the duration of a dream can vary from 5 to 25 minutes. At one time it was believed that one dreamed only and exclusively in the REM phase, but from recent studies it has emerged that, in reality, it is possible to dream even in the non-REM (NREM) phase. However, dreams fulfilled in REM are more easily remembered.
Psychoanalysis
Meaning of Dreams in Psychoanalysis
The theme of the meaning of dreams in the field of psychoanalysis has been addressed for the first time by Freud who formulated very precise theories on how these phenomena should be interpreted.
Shortly after Freud, another psychoanalyst formulated new theories - completely opposed and different from the Freudian ones - proposing a completely different way of interpreting the meaning of dreams: he is the Swiss psychoanalyst and psychologist Carl Gustav Jung. Curiously, the latter found himself first in agreement with Freud's interpretation of psychic phenomena, to then depart from it and undertake a different interpretative path. More in detail, a few years after the publication of the book " The interpretation of dreams ", between the two psychoanalysts disagreements arose which led to their "separation" and the birth of two different currents of thought regarding the interpretation not only of meaning of dreams, but of all psychic phenomena.
Meaning of Dreams according to Freud
According to the model of interpretation proposed by Freud, dreams are characterized by the presence of masked contents that are manifested in the dream in the form of symbols and which represent a message from the unconscious .
This message, according to the father of psychoanalysis, should contain forbidden and latent desires concerning above all the sexual sphere (even if, apparently, the dream has nothing to do with the latter) and that the individual does not express consciously because they are deemed unacceptable or improper .
Going into more detail, the masked contents take the name of latent contents, while the symbols through which they manifest themselves (for example, people, animals, objects, etc.) are called manifest contents . According to Freud, the revelation of the latent content of a dream can only occur if the manifest content is analyzed and interpreted.
Therefore, the latent content is considered as the true meaning of the dream, which is however "censored" by the ego and made rationally acceptable by the creation of the manifest content.
The latent content, therefore, would represent the message of the unconscious ; while the manifest content would represent the conscious content, that which is elaborated and then remembered and told by the dreamer .
At the base of Freud's interpretation of dreams is the so-called "disguise" theory according to which the symbols - whether they are people, objects or animals - are not really what they are - therefore those people, those objects or those animals specific - but they are the disguise of other people, objects or animals. For example, if you dream of a friend named Mario, according to this theory, the real meaning of the dream is not about Mario, but another person who is "disguised" by the unconscious with the appearance of friend Mario.
More precisely, Freud asserted that, in dreams, every person or object is the disguise of another person or object, which is invested with a sexual aura.
However, in order to understand the meaning of dreams, it is very important that the dreamer himself provide the psychoanalyst with the necessary information and the key to understanding the latent content. On the other hand, this is not always possible and Freud himself admitted that it is not always possible to interpret a dream completely, since sometimes the symbols expressed in it could be lost.
Freud's Theory of Sexuality
Freud elaborated a theory on sexuality according to which the latter would be an energy that develops in the individual since he is still a newborn and that, with growth, takes into consideration different areas of the body and can also be addressed to objects non-sexual. This type of energy was defined by the father of psychoanalysis as "libido".
Meaning of Dreams according to Jung
The theories about how to interpret the meaning of dreams proposed by Gustav Jung deviate considerably from those advanced by Freud.
According to Jung's theory, in fact, dreams cannot be interpreted as a manifestation - albeit indirect as presented through symbols (manifest contents) - of a latent or hidden desire, but they should be considered as something much more complex that goes beyond by the will and conscience of the individual.
Furthermore, Dr. Jung makes several criticisms of Freud's theories, with particular reference to that of "disguise". The Swiss doctor, in fact, wonders why the unconscious should "mask" people and objects by identifying them with other people and objects apparently not connected to one another. According to Jung, in fact, the unconscious shows in dreams exactly what it wants to show, without "disguises" or "subterfuges" (if one dreams of his friend Mario, the unconscious wants to talk exactly about his friend Mario). The theory of the Swiss physician also states that dreams are inextricably linked to the development of the person and that the important factor in their interpretation is not so much the cause that generates them - as the "rival" Freud argued - as the end for which these dreams manifest themselves . Jung wondered, therefore, "What good is the dream I did and where will it take me?"
Of course, even in this case, the interpretation of the meaning of dreams is not simple and should not be limited to making sense based only on what the dreamer has remembered, but it is necessary to break down and analyze each single element to then provide an interpretation of the as realistic as possible.
Theory of Libido by Jung
The main point of conflict between the thought of Jung and Freud's concerns the theory of sexuality and libido. Unlike the Freudian theory, the one proposed by the Swiss doctor sees the libido as a psychic energy that characterizes man but which must absolutely not be confused with the simple sexual pulsation.
However, both psychoanalysts - Jung and Freud - agree that dreams are signals sent from the unconscious, although their interpretation then takes opposite paths.
Interpretation
Interpreting the Meaning of Dreams
The interpretation of the meaning of dreams should belong to specialist figures such as the psychoanalyst and the psychologist.
Clearly, the way of interpreting dreams may vary according to the mold of the specialist to whom one is addressing. If you choose a Freudian psychoanalyst, it is much more likely that this follows the theories of the father of psychoanalysis and vice versa for those who follow Jung's theories. Despite this, over the years, numerous other psychoanalysts have tried to give an explanation and their interpretation of dreams. Among the various theories developed, we recall some of them:
- A very widespread theory is that the dream would represent a real life situation in which the individual is blocked. In this case, the dream is considered as a tool that should be useful to solve the problem, just like when you have to overcome an obstacle when you are awake and, through thought, a solution is generated.
- According to some researchers, the dream would perform particular psychic functions, such as the consolidation of memories and the regulation of emotions .
- A more modern theory, on the other hand, takes into consideration the state of the contemporary world in which society pushes people to blend into the mass. According to this theory the dream would be the result of the need of individuals to differentiate themselves from the mass (in this regard, it is recalled that, in effect, there are no equal dreams).
Necessary Elements for Interpreting the Meaning of Dreams
To guarantee a correct interpretation of one's dreams to the psychoanalyst or psychologist, it is very important to have a good memory of what one has dreamed of and, above all, it is important to remember the emotions and sensations that were perceived both during the dream and just after the awakening . In this way it will be possible to provide the psychologist / psychoanalyst with very useful elements for identifying the meaning of dreams.
Nightmares
Meaning of the Nightmares
According to several psychologists, nightmares would indicate the inability to handle situations of real life that are particularly anxious or characterized by conflict.
Some people claim to have recurring nightmares, probably related to very difficult times in their lives; while to other individuals it happens that the nightmare then turns into a positive dream. Also in this case, the interpretation may not be simple. However, turning to specialized figures such as psychologists could still prove useful in this sense, since - even if negative - it is always a question of dreams.
Popular Beliefs
Meaning of Dreams between Magic and Popular Beliefs
More often than not, popular beliefs tend to give dreams a meaning not so much psychological, as related to hypothetical magical powers. Indeed, it is not uncommon for dreams to be interpreted as signs, warnings or as the prediction of something that is about to happen (premonitory dreams).
The interpretation of the meaning of dreams on a psychological basis, of course, has nothing to do with the realm of magic and divination and, indeed, deviates (or at least should depart) entirely from them.
Did you know that ...
Despite psychology and magic should have nothing in common, Dr. Gustav Jung claimed to be a psychic and, indeed, hypothesized that paranormal phenomena were signals of the collective unconscious, just as dreams are signals of the individual's unconscious.
In other cases, however, common thinking offers a very precise interpretation of dreams which, however, does not take into consideration the subjectivity of the individual, offering, on the contrary, a unique interpretation based on the element dreamed of and not on the person's experience that makes the dream come true. Even if the interpretations of this type could prove to be at least partly truthful, in order to provide a correct determination of the meaning of dreams, a careful subjective analysis is always necessary that takes into consideration aspects of the life of those who dream.
