Do dreams mean anything? Why do I feel like I’m falling? Or wake up paralyzed? We asked experts.
The Value of Dream Analysis in Therapy
There are countless theories about why we dream, none of which fully explain exactly why it is that we dream. There is no concrete, evidence based data on why we dream. There is much debate in the mental health field about the usefulness of dream analysis. A huge cloud of mystery hovers over why we dream. I can only speak to my personal and clinical experience with dreams and have come to the conclusion that dream analysis frequently provides a deeper understanding of a client's emotional and psychological condition than doing treatment absent dream analysis. I have frequently been amazed by the insights clients have once they explore the dreams they have, with special significance given to nightmares. It seems that issues that are too painful for the conscious mind to address are dealt with through dreams. If in therapy, we can identify why a client had a particular dream, it is very likely that we can identify the emotional and psychological underpinnings for why the client had the dream. This can prove to be invaluable in gaining new insights discovered by the client. The treatment plan often requires revision based on new perspectives by the client and the clinician.
I find it fascinating that through an in-depth analysis of dreams, parallels to a client's fears and anxieties can be drawn, which of course, is tremendously useful in therapy. It has been my experience that it is only through dreams that stressful or traumatic experiences can be fully processed. To ignore dreams as a part of therapy is,in my opinion, a mistake. After all, dreams are a product of the brain. One of the theories about why we have dreams is that it is a way for the brain to ferret out superfluous and useless information so that it can attain sharper focus on issues that are of genuine interest or concern. I liken it to having too many documents on your computer's desktop, which slows down the operational efficiency of your computer. Likewise, if the brain is cluttered with a lot of minutiae, it loses the ability to function optimally. One of the theories about why we dream is that it is the brain's way of pruning useless data so that it can operate more efficiently.
If this theory holds, then it is logical to conclude that the dreams we have are part of the culling process of ridding the brain of countless bits of useless stimuli with which it is bombarded in waking hours. It is through this process that the brain addresses the "real" issues which are likely to involve fears and anxieties. Dreams are a purification process for the brain. Clients frequently describe a vague and amorphous discomfort which causes them to have anxiety, but are unable to define why they feel anxious. Dream analysis often provides insights which would have not otherwise been identified. Most of us spend approximately one third of our lives sleeping. It seems to me that to disregard such a significant part of our existence would overlook a very important dimension of who we are as human beings. I am convinced that dreams happen for a reason, namely, for the brain to heal itself and to optimize its performance. Sweet dreams.
https://dreams.ucsc.edu/NCTD/Neurocognitive_Theory_of_Dreaming_SNC2019.pdf
