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PrintWhy Do We Dream ?
Why do we dream? People have always been fascinated by their 'secret'
night-time journeys. Over the years there have been many theories
as to why we dream and the function dreams serve.
Countless 'encyclopaedias' of dream symbols and meaning now exist,
but these are published on the narrow premise that 'one symbol fits
all'. A revolutionary new understanding of dreams shows that this
is wrong and that individual minds tailor symbols and dreams to
meet individual needs.
Dream Breakthrough
The very latest understanding of why we evolved to dream comes from
the groundbreaking research of the eminent psychologist Joseph Griffin.
For the first time the biology and psychology of dreaming have been
blended into a model that is accepted by many eminent psychologists
the world over. (See review of The Origin
of Dreams for more information).
"Very convincing. Much more acceptable than Freudian or Jungian
notions. And Joe Griffin's interpretation of their dreams is entirely
reasonable."
Prof. Hans Eysenck on 'The
Origin of Dreams' by Joe Griffin
Dreams Get Rid of Emotional Arousal
It has been agreed for some time that dreams deal with emotion.
However, not all emotion causes dreaming. Only emotional arousal
unexpressed while awake causes us to dream. So, for example, if
you have a screaming row with your partner you are unlikely to dream
about it as the emotional arousal was allowed full expression. However
if you become angry with someone at work but cannot express it then
this frustration will probably be played out during dreaming.
(This gives us an indication why dreams
and hypnosis are interlinked.)
How Do Dreams Work?
The brain will 'flush out' emotional arousal by creating a dream
of a scenario that parallels the real-life experience - a metaphor.
So, the work colleague from above might be symbolised by a monster
and your anger would be allowed expression as you attacked the dream
creature.
If you ruminate angrily over the same issues the next day then you
may well have a repetitive dream as the brain solves the same problem
in the same way.
Rumination Causes Dreaming
One of the most common ways to create unexpressed emotional arousal
is to ruminate. Because we do this in our mind, there is rarely
a situation where the emotion can be expressed. Depressed people
dream much more than non-depressed people because typically, they
do much more ruminating. This can result in physical and mental
exhaustion. (For more on this, see the Uncommon Knowledge website, Depression Learning Path)
Next, Dreaming
