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What a Nightmare's Spectrum of Fear Can Reveal

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Emotions escalating inside a dream often drive the dreamer into taking action.

The best response to a recent waking situation might present itself in a dream as a person, place, or thing.

Often it's the scariest, most uncomfortable part of a dream that holds the solution to your current dilemma.

Faced with an ongoing problem with her mom and not sure which way to turn, Benita found herself inside an escalating nightmare. Dream analysis tied her sleeping nightmare back to this difficult situation, then offered the possibility of a solution.

I was in the storage area of my building and saw a big black spider. I tried to kill it with a fly swatter, but it was still alive. I was looking around the room to see if I could find something to really kill it.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge bug or alien spider came to save it. It was so creepy. It’s as if it was watching me the whole time. It was slowly flying around my face, and that's when I woke up, petrified.

I asked Benita, "How did you feel when your attempt to kill the spider failed? And then when the huge bug came, you say you were petrified. Tell me more about those feelings."

Benita replied, "I was anxious and afraid when I didn't kill the spider. I didn’t want it to escape and maybe hurt me in the future. This dream honestly feels so scary. It's like the spider has a secret home in there. It knows when I come in and watches what I do. I not only felt violated, but also very scared it would hurt me."

Exploring the symbol of the spider, I inquired, "Can you describe a spider for me, please, and also tell me about the huge bug?"

Benita........

© Psychology Today