[StrangeOrange]

Really interesting study. Matches well with my own experiences. I used to have recurring dreams (both specific instances recurring and themes recurring) which mostly revolved around being chased, being attacked, most often with knives (I grew up in Glasgow, and there's lots of them about). I realised at some point that as my self-confidence grew (due to various factors), instead of getting caught in the dreams I would manage to escape and run away. And then eventually (with greater amounts of confidence) I started fighting back and winning. These themes still recur when I'm in various states of high or low self-esteem/self-confidence. And there are separate themes related to separate fears which also follow this pattern.

It's a shame that so many people will blast studies like these for being too small, but it's the start that needs to happen before we get to the end, and I think it's fascinating work. I hope to see more detailed investigations like this in future, and a building body of literature on the subject.

[FailMore]

Thank you very much for sharing your experience with dreams! I have made a website to gather scientific research on this interpretation https://docbt.org/ (Dream Orientated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and we are on twitter too https://twitter.com/docbt1. I know that the gold standard of studies are random control trials, but to begin the argument I think that more qualitative studies can be useful to establish an idea. That was my intention with this paper.

[erokar]

Are you aware of "the functional approach to dreams": https://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Waking-Functional-Approach-D...

Seems a bit similar and might be worth checking out. (One of the authors, Corriere, later lost his licenses to practice psychology -- but it doesn't necessarily invalidate their theory.)

[FailMore]

Thanks, I will research it. Read a lot of papers so I can’t remeber if I’ve seen that theory or not!

[b_tterc_p]

I too have experienced this. These days my self confidence is much higher. But I think the mechanism is different. I would say I encounter similar situations, but it is my conscious mind which determines how I respond. The unconscious creates the scenario, and you react to it naturally.

[pault]

I also have the chasing dreams when I'm feeling insecure, and when I'm feeling confident and satisfied with my life I can fly in all my dreams. It's a useful barometer for my general state of mind. :)