Recurring Dreams

All the things one has forgotten scream for help in dreams.
~Elias Canetti

As the name suggests, recurring dreams are dreams that occur very often. While trying to explain this phenomenon, several psychologists and dream analysts say that recurring dreams are ways of delivering important messages, from the subconscious mind to the conscious mind. This means, till you understand the real source or cause of the dream, and correct it, you are likely to keep having the same dream. Whether or not you want to correct it depends on the kind of dream you are having. Some types of dreams leave you more anxious than before, and probably disturb you too much to be able to concentrate on your daily schedule. These may also be termed as recurring nightmares. On the other hand, you may have recurring dreams that do not affect you in a negative way, or do not make any difference at all.

Understanding Recurring Dreams

As mentioned before, a recurring dream is trying to deliver a message that you fail to notice, pertaining to some kind of fear, anxiety or doubt you have harbored deep down inside. In some cases, a recurring dream may represent an ongoing event in your life. It may not exactly be a replica, but a metaphorical representation of a real-life situation. Lastly, recurring dreams may occur for a short period, perhaps when you are undergoing a physiological trauma, even high fever. In an attempt to understanding dreams that are recurring, researchers have noticed that while the entire scenario may be the same, the little details always keep changing. For instance, you may find yourself being chased, but the person or animal chasing you may vary. This, psychologists say, is a way of trying to get the message across in different ways. Recurring dreams may occur in any phase of life, starting from childhood, to adolescence, to adulthood. Sometimes, a dream you may have had as a child will fade over time, and stop occurring altogether during adolescence. This means, the haunting or fearful situation you were going through has been dealt with.

Common Recurring Dreams and Their Meanings

Studies have shown that many people experience very similar recurring dreams. Meanings and interpretations of these dreams have been established after extensive research. Here are some of the most common ones, analyzed.

• Being Chased: If you dream of being chased, it implies that you are trying to avoid facing some kind of reality or even a memory that you have buried in your unconscious mind. These dreams cause the upsurge of strong emotions, that include anger, fear, anxiety and jealousy. It may also mean you are trying to fight for survival, in some kind of ongoing situation in your life. However, the other side of the coin reflects that the figure chasing you may be someone or something positive, that is present in your life, and someone you may have failed to acknowledge.
• Falling Teeth: Many dreamers have claimed that they often have a dream where they notice their teeth falling out. Experts suggest that those who have such dreams feel that they are unable to maintain control over a particular situation, and feel powerless. It could also mean you are having trouble dealing with issues regarding self-esteem and confidence, where you find yourself unable to say what's on your mind. Lastly, recurring dreams about falling teeth may mean that you are concerned about some aspect of your appearance, regarding which a solution seems unattainable.
• Trapped: Many a time, you may have had a feeling of being trapped in a particular place, and find that you have nowhere to go, or don't know where to go. This kind of a dream is a clear representation of the situation in your life where you are actually feeling trapped or claustrophobic, perhaps by the situation in your house, or at work, or in a relationship.
• Missing an Exam: This dream, where you miss an exam or find yourself reaching late for an exam, may actually leave you feeling extremely anxious. The fear associated with missing an exam may have manifested from the reality that you may have missed an important opportunity in your life, or regret missing one.
• Falling: A recurring dream where you find yourself falling may signify a lack of support towards one of your endeavors, or a feeling of abandonment by someone close to you.

Stopping Recurring Dreams

The kind of recurring dreams you have will help you decide whether or not you want to stop them. Also, after understanding the meaning of your dream, you may want to introspect and dig deeper to find the source or the cause of the dream. Ultimately, this is the only solution to stop such dreams. A common interpretation of a dream may not suit you completely, and there may be other reasons for you to have a particular dream.

• To stop a recurring dream, you will have to relive the dream once you are awake, and note down details of the dream. Though this may be traumatic for some of you, it is a start towards facing your hidden thoughts and fears.
• Try and analyze the situation around the time you had the dream. Was it a situation that caused you too much stress or fear? Record every instance of the dream, and analyze the situation around that time. You may be able to associate your dream to a real life situation.
• Writing out your dreams, and trying to associate the various aspects of your dream may help you relate it to a repressed memory or some other aspect of your real life that you have been avoiding.
• Lastly, if this whole process feels too traumatic, consulting a professional will help you eliminate your buried thoughts and fears, and then help you overcome this pattern of recurring dreams.

The different definitions of recurring dreams such as them being a reflection of subconscious thoughts, or them being a reflection of real-life situations and causing a rainbow of emotions, all point to one final answer: it's all in the mind. The good thing is that this can be changed, and with a little conscious effort, you can delve into the subconscious and free yourself of recurring dreams that so often come back to haunt you.