What Do Dreams About Self-Harm Mean?
Dreams mean many things to many people. Some remind us of memories, whether recent or long-buried; others reflect our hopes and fears about the present or the future. But what do dreams about self-harm mean?
Do Dreams About Self-Harm Mean You Want to Hurt Yourself?
Dreaming about self-injury does not necessarily indicate a real desire to inflict pain on yourself. What they do mean depends very heavily on a variety of factors, including: your own personal experiences and views on self-harm, things you may have read or heard recently about self-harm, how you see yourself, and your current worldview. Whether the dream is pleasant or a nightmare also makes a difference in how it can be interpreted.
If you self-harm, or used to injure yourself in the past, your dreams about self-harm could be a reflection of any of the following:
- Memories, repressed or otherwise, of real past experiences with self-harm, surfacing due to some trigger you encountered during the day
- Fear of relapse. Even if it has been a long time since you last hurt yourself, it is not uncommon to worry now and then that you will fall back into old habits.
- Stress, related to the pressure you or others may be putting on you to refrain from self-harm. In this case, you may be craving the relief that self-harm used to bring you, even if you have no inclination to actually hurt yourself.
If you have never self-harmed, there are many other possibilities to consider. Your dreams may instead reflect:
- A negative self-view or low self-esteem. You may be angry, or disappointed, with yourself, or you may simply feel that you are "not enough." Such dreams may indicate a feeling that you deserve to be punished, but not necessarily with physical injury.
- Feeling overwhelmed and like you need an escape from your current situation. In this case, your self-harm dreams may indicate a desire for relief from something that has been weighing heavily on your mind.
- Feeling neglected or isolated, in which case, the self-harm in your dreams may indicate a wish for others to recognize that you are hurting and, perhaps, help you heal.
This is not an exhaustive list, and it is possible that your dreams may reflect more than one of these possibilities. Your dreams, after all, belong to you; the purpose of this list is merely to help you consider what might be true for you.
If you want a more in-depth analysis, you may want to speak with a counselor or therapist who has experience with dream analysis and can provide expert guidance to help you better understand your dreams. If your dreams are causing you distress or negatively impacting your health in any way, please speak with a medical professional who can help you find healthy ways to cope with your dreams. Sleep is an incredibly important component of mental and physical wellness.
When Are Dreams About Self-Harm Actually About Self-Harm?
Dreams about self-harm aren't always about actually wanting to hurt yourself, but sometimes, they can be. Context is key when determining whether or not this is true of your dreams. Ask yourself the following:
- Have I deliberately hurt myself recently?
- Have I been thinking about hurting myself while I'm awake?
- Has anything happened lately that might trigger self-harm cravings?
A "yes" answer (or even a strong "maybe") to any of the above may indicate a true inclination to hurt yourself, especially if you have a past history of self-harm or are experiencing extreme stress or distress. If you are worried that you will hurt yourself, please reach out as soon as possible to get help, ideally from a medical professional.
If you feel you are in immediate danger of harming yourself, please call a hotline or, if it is an emergency, 9-1-1.
No matter how you interpret your dream, remember: dream analysis isn't a crystal ball into which you can look for definite answers about the past or the future. Rather, it is one of many possible windows through which you may peek to try and gain a deeper understanding of yourself, as you are right now.
Have you had any dreams about self-harm recently? Let us know in the comments if you have any tips for better sleep or if you have alternative suggestions for understanding these dreams.
APA Reference
Kim Berkley
(2020, July 9). What Do Dreams About Self-Harm Mean?, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 10 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/speakingoutaboutselfinjury/2020/7/what-do-dreams-about-self-harm-mean
Author: Kim Berkley
Hi, I have been struggling with not self harming for the past few years. It has been an on and off battle which lately has been getting worse. Especially because I am having dreams of self harming the past week or so. In my dream, im doing something like slamming my head into the wall repeatedly (I used to do it often when I was a kid) but it doesn't hurt, and I continue to do it. When I wake, I end up with this feeling of disappointment towards myself. I'm not going through anymore than I usually am, so im just really starting to get worried.. thoughts?
Thank you!
Hi Taylor,
First of all, I am so sorry it took this long for you to get a reply. I hope my answering you now will still be of some benefit to you.
I'm also sorry to hear you've been struggling. If you are at all worried, especially that you might relapse, I would really urge you to talk to a therapist, counselor, or even a support group about your concerns. While you may not feel like there is more going on in your life than usual, sometimes stress and triggers can creep up on us without us noticing. I know I've had it happen to me several times where I felt stress and negative thoughts/emotions building up even though, externally, there didn't seem to be any reason for it... It's rough, but it's better to address it rather than tell yourself it shouldn't be happening, or worse, pretend that it isn't. If you're not up to seeking out therapy or a support group at this time, I would suggest ramping up your self-care, and trying to be more mindful of *when* specifically these feelings seem to bother you the most. This may help you identify a trigger you may be missing, or an underlying concern you may not have been attending to.
As for your dream itself, it definitely sounds to me like it's directly tied to your worries about self-harming again and the disappointment you might expect you will feel if you do relapse. Again, practicing good self-care and maybe talking to someone professionally about your concerns may help put these nightmares to rest by lessening the fears behind them. But keep in mind this is just my opinion; I'm not a licensed therapist or dream analyst.
While it's certainly not a good feeling to worry about relapse, the fact that you ARE worried and reaching out to ask for ideas is a great sign. It means that you are already trying to take steps in the right direction, and that's a good thing. If you need more ideas or have follow-up questions, feel free to ask. I will do my best to answer more promptly this time.
In the meantime, please do your best to take care of yourself.
Sincerely,
Kim
What does it mean if you dream about someone you know self-harming? My aunt had a dream about my grandmother (who has been dead for about four years) in which she was standing in the kitchen repeatedly hitting herself with a hammer. She didn't bleed, nor did she die. My family relies on dreams to determine how deceased family members are doing and needless to say, this was disturbing to hear about. She didn't visit anyone else after her death, not even my mother, whom she was very close to.
Hello!
This is an excellent question. It's difficult to answer for a few reasons. One: I am not a licensed dream analyst (or any kind of mental health professional), so I'm afraid I can't give you an "official" answer. Two: so much of a dream's meaning is unique to the dreamer's experiences and worldview; since this is your aunt's dream, your aunt will ultimately need to be the one to determine what the dream means to her.
However, I can understand how disturbing a dream like this might be--particularly since, as you mentioned, dreams are such an important part of your family life and beliefs. If possible, I would recommend talking to a licensed therapist about this--one who understands and respects your family's beliefs and can work within that context to help your family better understand your aunt's dream. However, if that is not possible or if your aunt is not willing to try that at this time, I would encourage her to sit down and really think about the different elements that were present in her dream. She might even want to write it all down, to help organize it all (as there may be many pieces to this puzzle).
Some questions she can ask herself that might help her to work out what was going on in this dream include:
1. What emotions did I experience during the dream?
2. Is there anything I know about this family member that might be connected to what happened in this dream? (This might not be literal--for instance, maybe your grandmother often "beat herself up" about certain things, which your aunt may then have visualized literally in her dream.)
3. Could any recent events, thoughts, or experiences have triggered parts of this dream? (For instance, maybe she saw something violent on TV shortly before this dream--or, maybe she's been worried about not hearing from your grandmother. Worry can often manifest violently in bad dreams.)
4. Could any memories have something to do with this dream? (For example, let's say your aunt remembers your grandmother once hit her hand accidentally with a hammer. This dream might be an exaggeration of that memory, again possibly triggered by any worry--conscious or subconscious--she might have now around how your grandmother has been doing.)
I wish I could give you a clearer answer; I know it would be more comforting. But I hope you, and your family, find this info helpful. And again, when in doubt, it never hurts to seek the counsel of a licensed therapist or counselor who specializes in dream analysis--especially if your aunt has any more dreams like this one.
Take care,
Kim
i have self harmed in the past but technically in my dream i didn’t actually self harm. but in my dream i found these old broken mirror shards (in waking life i originally started self harming with broken mirror shards until my mom threw them all away) that i used to self harm with and i hid them in my room so i would be able to self harm with them in the future and so my mom wouldn’t take them away. i have been stressed lately and have been thinking about self harming but haven’t. i’m 141 days clean so far.
Hi Ashley,
First of all, congratulations on 141 days of being self-harm free! That is a huge milestone, and I am so happy that you have been able to stick to the path of recovery for so long already.
It sounds like you have been going through some difficult times lately. I expect your dream is strongly tied to this stress as well as your past with self-harm. While I can't interpret it for you as a licensed dream analyst could, I will say that it sounds to me like it may reflect a desire for relief from the stress you are currently under. I imagine, then, that it might be very tempting to self-harm again because in the past it may have brought some relief during times like this.
However, as you are already on your recovery journey, I think you are probably hoping to avoid turning back to self-harm. If you have a therapist already or are open to seeking out therapy (either in person or online), I think now would be a really great time to reach out for extra support. Better to ask for help now, and possibly prevent a relapse, than wait until one has already occurred.
If you are not open to that at this time, if there is anyone you feel comfortable to talking to about this and asking for support, again, now is a good time to do that. If you don't want to talk to someone you know personally, maybe consider a chat service (like 7 Cups or the Samaritans) or calling or texting a hotline. I know this can be a very hard thing to talk about, but I do think it's important to do so if you can. Having even just one person to help you cope can make a big difference. This page has a good list to start with:
https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/resources/mental-health-hotline-numbers-and-refer…
There are also a lot of things you can do on your own that can lower your stress and help you cope with your thoughts and dreams around self-harm. I don't know what you have already tried (or may be currently doing), but for me, guided yoga and meditation practices help a lot--something about being able to zone out and just let someone else guide your movement and your thoughts for a little, and steer them in a positive direction, is very soothing to me. I wrote a post not long ago on urge surfing you may want to check out:
https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/speakingoutaboutselfinjury/2021/2/using-self-harm-urge…
Exercising and distracting yourself with hobbies or other activities you enjoy also tends to help (even if you don't feel like it at first, sometimes you get into it after a bit). Making a point to do something small but celebratory to mark each new day of progress on your healing journey can also help—if you are someone who likes to look ahead, maybe setting some rewards for yourself that you can look forward to after X more days of staying self-harm free can help.
For more ideas and info, you can also check this page if you haven't already:
https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/self-injury/self-injury-homepage
I hope this helps--both with the dreams and your recovery. Keep in mind that I am not a licensed therapist—merely someone else who has struggled with self-harm and the recovery process. Don't hesitate to reply if you have questions or comment on other blog posts if you have more you would like to share here.
And, just in case no one else has had the opportunity to tell you this yet: you are stronger, and braver, than you think, and I believe in you and your ability to keep moving forward on the path to recovery. Just try to take it one day at a time.
Sincerely,
Kim
I do self-harm and have recurrent dreams about self-harming, usually in the context of my family nagging me or my brother being annoying. No one knows I self-harm but in the dreams I bang my head against the wall or i punch myself. It feels like i need to punch harder but I don't have the strength to do so, it's like a force is working against my arm or body and i just can't inflict enough pain (all of that inside the dream).
Btw, sorry for bad English, I'm not native
Hi Lea,
No need to apologize, I think I understand your comment just fine. Thank you for sharing your story--those dreams sound pretty intense, and I imagine they must be difficult to cope with at times. Since you self-harm in real life as well, I think it is safe to assume your dreams are a direct result of that--though please do keep in mind, I am not a licensed clinician and cannot formally interpret your dreams for you. What I will say is this: it seems like your dreams *may* be reflecting some of the intense feelings that often accompany self-harm. As such, they may be your mind's way of trying to work through those feelings while you sleep.
I know you mentioned that no one knows you self-harm, and I would never say you "have" to come out to a friend or family member if you're not ready yet. But I can tell you from experience that it's all at least a bit easier to cope with--and eventually recover from--when you have at least one person you can talk to about it. If you don't want to discuss it with anyone in your social circle, therapy might be a good solution. It sounds like maybe you are still living at home, and maybe still in school? If this is the case, you might want to see if your school has a counselor you can speak to (for free) without drawing any unwanted attention from your family or friends.
If not, there are also many free hotlines and even anonymous online support groups you can join that might give you a good place to find some support. This resource page might be a good place to start looking: https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/resources/mental-health-hotline-numbers-and-refer…
And here is more info about self-harm, in case you might find that helpful as well: https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/self-injury/self-injury-homepage
As someone who didn't speak up about my self-injury for a long time, I completely understand the desire to keep it to yourself. I also know that I know nothing about your family or your beliefs; as such, I can't say whether it would be good for you to speak with them about what you're going through or not. But having *someone* in your corner, even a stranger, can make so much more of a difference than you might think.
At the very least, know that I wish you all the best and hope you find some peace of mind--in your waking life and your sleeping one--soon. Please feel free to keep commenting; I'll be here, answering as often as I can.
Sincerely,
Kim
My dream was really weird. I can’t remember most of it, except for the fact that I started to self harm; specifically my left wrist. It felt real but I‘ve never actually self harmed in real life. I do have depression and it’s crossed my mind before. I’ve never had a dream about that before though and I have been feeling really bad about myself lately, not so much then usual so I’m not sure what it could be.
Hi Loren,
Thank you for sharing your dream. While I cannot "officially" interpret it for you (as I am not a licensed clinician), I do think that your dream sounds like one worth paying attention to. It is very possible that it is tied to the negative feelings you've been experiencing lately. Even if these feelings are not new to you, coping with prolonged periods of low mood and low self-esteem can really take a toll on your mental (and even your physical) wellbeing, and whether or not your dream is tied to any actual desire to self-harm, I think it at least might be your subconscious's way of coping with the ways in which you've been hurting.
You may want to reach out to a therapist--perhaps one with some experience in dream analysis, if you'd like to understand more about this and other dreams--to work through your feelings. There will always be bad days mixed in with the good, but it's possible to tip the scales in favor of more good than bad with the right strategies and the right support. In any case, I hope you're able to feel better--and dream more peacefully--sooner, rather than later.
Aside from therapy, you may want to check out a few of these resources for more support: https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/resources/mental-health-hotline-numbers-and-refer…
Take care,
Kim
I had a dream of cutting and the my old roommate said that I did that one to you. And Evenecese was there singing in the dream was helping me feel better. Don't know if it was female inside me comforting the old me. Maybe working on some repressed memories.
Hi Sierra,
Thank you for sharing your dream. I feel like there may be a lot of symbolism going on in your dream, and while I can't interpret it for you, a licensed professional could certainly help you sort through it. If you're not ready to take that step, however, I would definitely suggest that if you feel up to it, it might be worthwhile to sit and write out the different elements of your dream (what your roommate said, what Evanescence song was playing, etc.) and what sort of associations you might have for each. This could give you some ideas about what underlying messages your subconscious might be trying to send you. Repressed memories are one possibility, but there might be other things going on here, too. Dream journaling is a great way to not only explore the meaning of your dreams, but also work through the feelings they might be conjuring up for you.
Hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Kim
Last night I had a dream where I was at a friend's house and I got caught self-harming,and then I gotten sent to residential facility,then I really liked the facility,and we were all getting along,I can't remember any more,and I do self-harm,and did it in the past
Hi Erica,
Thank you for sharing your dream. I can't offer you a professional dream analysis, but I will say this: it sounds like the highlight of your dream was the part where you were in a place where you could heal, and among people who could help you do that. Maybe this is an indication that it's time for you to talk to someone, if you haven't already, about what you're going through—this may be a counselor or therapist, but it may also simply be someone that you can trust to really listen to your feelings and your needs and offer whatever support you require to move forward on the path of recovery. And if you already have someone you can talk to, maybe tell them about this dream and see what they think about it as well, as they will be more familiar with you and your experiences and might be able to offer more insight.
In any case, I hope you have good dreams and good rest tonight. Just getting solid, regular sleep can be a big step forward in the recovery process. :)
Sincerely,
Kim
I on and off have self-harmed for 11 years. I say off and on because in the last 3 years I have been in 2 different relationships that I wasn't really able to self-harm in. So I only did it sometimes. I'm currently in no relationship and back to self-harming almost every day. Now I came here today cuz in all these years I've never had a self-harm dream. But last night I did. I started out rather normal really. I was with a very attractive man and I suppose I was a roommate of his. We were hanging out happy and talking to each other. We then had a pretty girl come over. We then all played a video game for a while. After the man was telling me he would make dinner and I said ok, I'd have to go out for a bit. He gave me a look I don't understand and said ok to me, The girl looked at me in the same way and as I walked out with my keys, the girl goes, he really likes that burn huh. I left in my car stopped in the middle of nowhere and cut my wrist deep (probably should have been dead). I then made my way back home to the man and he opened his arms for a hug. I hugged him and he said welcome back home. He helped me clean my cuts and then we had the dinner he made. after dinner the girl left and he was talking to me about the cuts, but I can't remember what he said and I had woken up at that time. When I woke up I felt like going back to that dream.
Hello Olie,
I'm sorry to hear about your struggle with self-harm, but I thank you for sharing your story and your dream here with me and with others who may connect with and recognize some of the things you are dealing with as similar struggles to their own. Sometimes it helps just to be reminded that we are not the only ones struggling with this or that issue, even if our specific experiences are unique to us and us alone.
I am not medically qualified to interpret your dream for you as a therapist or counselor with dream analysis training would be able to—so if you would like for a deeper analysis of this and other dreams you may have been having lately, I would strongly recommend seeing someone. Even if that is not the case, I do encourage you to find someone you can talk to about your journey (if you don't have someone like this already) because it sounds like you are carrying a lot on your shoulders.
I will say that it does seem to me like your dream is directly connected to your self-harm in real life and your relationships. You mentioned that you only self-harm when you are not in a relationship, and in your dream, your self-harm seemed to open the door to a loving, welcoming relationship. While I want to emphasize that you should not take any of this to mean that you need to be in a romantic relationship to be healthy (or, for that matter, happy), I do think it would be worth exploring whether your self-harm is tied to feelings of loneliness or your self-esteem, or both. I think the positive outcome of your self-harm in the dream may have less to do with the relationship in the dream than the real-life relief that you may feel after you self-harm. Just like in your dream, many people feel a sense of peace or relief after self-harming—which is why it becomes so tempting to so many people as a means of escaping from overwhelming negative emotions.
However, again, this is just my opinion. I know it may not be easy, but I do think that finding the right therapist or counselor to talk to would be a big help for you in working through the complex issues you are facing, both in your dreams and in your waking life.
However, if you're not ready to take that step yet or have had difficulty finding adequate help locally, keep in mind that there are lots of resources that don't require payment--or even for you to leave the house. This resource page has a long list of hotlines and websites that may help: https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/resources/mental-health-hotline-numbers-and-refer…
And here is our self-harm resource page, which has a ton of great information on your condition as well as coping tips you can use whether or not you choose to seek professional support: https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/self-injury/self-injury-homepage
I hope this helps. Wishing you all the best on your recovery journey,
Kim
(I am a minor writing this so I go to school) I had a disturbing dream last night were I was in my house sitting at our dining room table and my mom was speaking to me about something I cannot remember . But what I do remember is turning around to fast my mother again and she was cutting both wrist while guilt tripping me in mutter. I remember starting to cry and telling her to stop and cutting herself wouldn't make a difference but she refused and kept going. The worst part was it felt so real because it took place in my home. Aside from that, my family has been in a crisis with money because of the pandemic, and I have been having trouble in school missing assignments and stuff which has caused me to get yelled at my parents/teachers. And my mom has been struggling to blaming herself for all that has happened. I also used to self harm when overwhelmed or under a lot of pressure. Though I've been pretty good with keeping myself occupied with other things to stray away from self harm.
Hi Oliver,
Thank you for sharing your dream. While obviously I cannot say I've had the same exact dream, I can certainly relate to having nightmares that feel too real and hit uncomfortably close to home. It's no picnic, and while ultimately dreams are not reality, they feel real enough that they can evoke very real, and sometimes very difficult, emotions like the ones you describe.
As I've mentioned already, I am not a licensed therapist or medical professional and cannot interpret your dream for you. However, I will say that it seems likely to me that your dream may have some connection to the crisis your family has been facing and the stress you've been dealing with personally. Nightmares are often the brain's way of rearranging and reinterpreting stress and negative experiences to bring them to our conscious attention, so that we can face them and deal with them in our waking lives.
I am glad to hear that you have been able to avoid self-harming in order to cope with everything; staying productive can certainly be a much healthier way to cope, though it is important to take breaks when you need them as well. With everything that is going on in your life at the moment, I would strongly recommend talking to someone such as a therapist or your school counselor to work through what you're dealing with and maybe help you find some solutions you may not find, or be able to enact, on your own. Stress can be every bit as harmful to your health as a physical illness, especially if it is prolonged, so it's important if you can to find someone you can talk to and who can help you unpack some of the heavier burdens you're currently carrying.
However, if you're not ready to take that step or do not have access to that kind of help locally, know that there are also a multitude of free or low-cost resources online and on the phone that you can turn to whenever you need to. Here's our resource page, which has a nice list of hotlines and websites you can use anytime: https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/resources/mental-health-hotline-numbers-and-refer…
I hope the new year brings more restful sleep and changes for the better for you and your family. Take care.
- Kim
In my dream, me and a bunch of other young kids and teens were all trapped in some twisted school place where we were tortured. Some of the kids were aliens. This dream was very disturbing because I could feel the torture, maybe not as bad as it may be in real life but I was feeling pain. It was very distressing especially including the fact that my sister was one of the torturers and she was cutting my arms deeply, and I felt it. The torturers would just walk around and do stuff to the kids like cut their skin off. We had to go to different classes and go through more torture with each class, but no matter how hurt we got we had to keep going. It was terrible and I woke up crying. Even in my dream as my sister cut me I was crying and yelling for her to stop but she giggled and refused. In the end I woke up and I felt very exhausted, sad and semi-traumatised from what I witnessed. Surely I had seen some of these torture methods in movies but this time they just felt so real.
Hi Benjamin,
One of the worst things, in my experience, about nightmares is how vivid and real they can feel. I can only imagine how distressing this one must have been for you--especially since it evoked such a visceral reaction in you even when you woke. While I cannot interpret it for you from a professional standpoint, I will say that it sounds like this dream might be a good hint that it's time to step back and take a look at your overall wellness. As you said, the imagery in your dream was most likely drawn from things you've seen on TV and other media. However, the severity of your nightmare seems to me like your subconscious might be trying to tell you something important. It might be as simple as perhaps feeling a little overwhelmed with stress or other negative emotions, or that something recently triggered a memory of a time when that was the case.
In any case, it never hurts to check in with yourself. And if you keep having this dream or ones like it, or if you are still feeling very distressed by this nightmare, consider talking to a counselor or therapist--ideally one familiar with dream analysis--to get some help in working through it.
I hope your dreams since this one have been more pleasant, or if not, that you are able to find someone who can work together with you to solve the problems your mind is trying to solve with these nightmares. I wish you the best of luck--and thank you for your comment. Sometimes simply sharing our dreams helps dispel some of the distress; I hope sharing yours here has helped!
- Kim
Hi Benjamin,
I too have had vivid dreaming experiences that feel so real to the point I have woken up and even felt sore or tired. I have found that setting the mood an hour before bed can help. what I usually do is an hour before bed I only watch or engage in light soft things to read, watch, play etc. I found that there is a correlation between what I do just before bed and what I dream about. I also listen to natural sounds whilst I sleep, that has really helped me get a lovely nights sleep and dreams. I am currently listening to the lovely soothing sound of rain, works beautifully for me. I'll link the the sound I currently use https://youtu.be/HI3RM8h5qZ8 give it a try. hope it really helps.
I've just woke from a terrible self harm dream. Which is strange as I've never cut or harmed myself in waking life. I dreamt I sliced off my clitoris and threw it away. I was lying in bed with my new boyfriend and he told me that there would be only one night of passion per week as he worked so hard at his job. So I sliced off my clitoris and vulva, there was no blood , no damage to myself just a piece of see through flesh thrown on the floor. It was a dreadful nightmare which when I awoke I was drenched with sweat. I haven't had a nightmare in over 30 yrs so this is very disturbing for me.
Hi Lesley,
Apologies for the long-overdue reply. I can certainly imagine how disturbing this dream must have been to you, especially as you mentioned not having nightmares for so long. While I am not in a position to be able to interpret it for you, I will say that it sounds like you might want to take a moment to stop and take stock of your stress levels in your waking life. While it is my person, non-professional opinion that your dream probably does not have to do with any conscious desire to hurt yourself, experiencing such a vivid nightmare after going so long without any (at least, any that you can recall) certainly seems to warrant a bit of a check-in.
Of course, nightmares can also be caused by a wide array of non-mental health related factors, such as eating certain foods too close to bedtime. That's not to dismiss or minimize your experience, but rather, something to keep in mind--it's all too easy to read more than necessary into even the most vivid dreams.
In any case, I hope your nights since have been more restful, and I wish you all the best. Thank you for your comment!
Sincerely,
Kim
In this one dream that’s still haunts me and makes me question was just me waking up to the burning of a thousand cuts on my both my arms. I went through the day with them constantly looking at them and hiding them with longs sleeves. I don’t remember much, it was all a blur but those major events. Later on I woke up in the middle of the night and I can still feel the burning of the cuts on my arms but of course I don’t have cuts on my actual self, it was only in the dream. It was really weird. I continued to feel the burn on my arms through out the day. I continued to look at my arms but like I said, I don’t have any cuts nor do I have scars from the passed.
Hi Gigi,
Thank you for sharing your dream with me. Dreams can be really potent experiences; I remember I had one once in which someone grabbed my arm so tightly it bruised me and when I woke up, my arm hurt (though there was no mark, of course).
I am not a professional dream interpreter, but I have a lot of experience with intense dreams (especially nightmares) and I can imagine how distressing a dream like the one you described must have been. It's likely that the burning you felt was a kind of somatic effect--your brain thought that it should hurt, so you experienced pain. It's also possible that something occurred before or during your sleep that caused you to feel the burning sensation while you slept (maybe you brushed against something your skin had a reaction to?) and this actually triggered the burning in your dream.
In either case, the important thing to remember, of course, is that it was just a dream--even if you felt physical effects from it upon waking. Rather than be haunted by it, consider what you might be able to learn from it. This might simply be that you were under stress and in need of relief--nightmares can often signal that we simply need a break from something we've been dealing with, or alternatively that we need to face something we've been avoiding.
If you want to dive deeper into the meaning of your dream, be sure to talk to someone with professional dream psychology training! Keeping a dream journal and tracking patterns and your own personal interpretations can also be helpful.
Otherwise, I hope your dreams tonight are more restful. Thank you again for your comment!
- Kim
Ok so in my dream 5 people were hunting me and two others, but at times i was one of the hunters. They needed to get us to remain young? And a numerous amount of times they would corner me and the two others but we would escape then the hunters as some penance/ritual/medical procedure they would self harm, i am not talking some horizontal slashes on the wrist im talking plunging a stiletto knife into their hearts. Now this is is the only times i would become the hunter, to stab myself and die at the end. I cannot remember seeing the others do it although i know they did but the only 'self harm' i saw was when i did it to myself.
At the end, they had again cornered us but we escaped and finally got far away and they could not chase us anymore and then i was one of the hunters again but this time i did not stab myself, all 5 of us started to decay. I saw them fester and rot and decay and then it started to happen to me then i woke up. The others died so i only assume i did too.
I think i remember each time i stabbed myself it 'felt' as though it was pressure on my chest, i could feel the knife. After each stab my hunter body would heal and we would start hunting again then the role would switch to one of the escapees.
To add to the weirdness, the hunters were famous people. When i first woke up i knew all their faces but now i only recall two. The leader who made me stab myself was Octavia Spencer and the man who i was, who stabbed themselves was Chris Pratt. I have this weird notion that when i was not Chris Pratt, he was trying to help us escape, purposely failing to catch us but i do not remember this happening at all.
I might know why there might have been some of these things but not all, in fact i want to say i might only know why it was in the heart and that is is.
Plus another oddity, when i went to sleep i was drunk-ish, i dont dream when i am drunk or if i do i never remember it, this is the first time. Even if i go to bed drunk and wake up a few hours later when i am sober-ish i do not dream or if i do i never remember it, this is the first time.
After reading it again i am not sure if this equates to 'self harm'. Plus i would say it was a nightmare as it was terrifying being chased and almost caught and dreadful knowing i had to stab myself afterwards.
Hello!
Thank you for your comment, and for sharing your dream with me. I want to start by being very clear about this: I am not a psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed dream interpreter. So I can't analyze your dream for you the way someone with more professional experience would be able to (though I highly encourage you to contact such a professional if you wish to better understand and relate with your dreams!).
What I can say is that I have had many chase nightmares over the years, and I know how stressful they can be--especially when coupled with self-harm imagery. It can be very disconcerting to feel forced to hurt yourself, even if it is "just a dream," because in that moment, those feelings can be very real, even in a fantastical context. So I can imagine that was a pretty intense dream for you!
I will also say--as a layman--that I imagine a lot of your dream imagery is probably coming from things you've seen or read. Recent memories are usually the origin, but keep in mind that dreams may pull from your long-term memory too--it may be that some of this came from something you watched or learned about a long time ago, that something in recent days may have triggered the memory of (even if only in your subconscious).
I also don't dream much when I drink before bed, but I've had the occasional vivid drunk-dream, too. The difference may have been anything from the specific drink you had (if it wasn't your usual), to food you ate within the last few hours before sleep, to some other environmental trigger you may not have consciously taken much note of. Dreams are pretty tricky that way.
The good news is that it was a dream, and that it in no way means that you *have* to hurt yourself, or even necessarily that you want to. It may mean that you have some inner turmoil that you need to work through, possibly some guilt or something you dislike about yourself--nightmares are often connected to these things. So again, you may want to look into working with a therapist or counselor who specializes in dream analysis if you want to know more. You can also try dream journaling; writing things down can sometimes help clarify their meaning.
I hope this helps! If you need more resources regarding self-harm, be sure to check out this page: https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/self-injury/self-injury-homepage
Here's hoping for more restful dreaming (for us both!) tonight. Good luck!
Kim