A study reveals the meaning of our dreams on our level of anxiety

A study by researchers at the University of Düsseldorf suggests that the content of the dreams of anxious people can differ significantly from the dreams of people who are healthy, or at least do not suffer from an anxiety disorder.

Those dreams that indicate you are anxious

This study, published in the journal Dreaming then relayed by the Forbes site, identifies three recurring themes among anxious dreamers. Enough to understand even better how our anxieties. You can imagine: anxious people tend to dream less of peaceful gardens and zen landscapes. The results of the study showed that people withanxiety lived in their dreams distressing situations. The first elements are related to the physical: being chased, physically attacked or immobilized. The dreams about death are also numerous, death of a loved one but also car or plane accidents for example. Finally, it seems more insidious, but social anxiety are also expressed in dreams. Patients experience social exclusion, deep shame and bitter failures in their sleep.

Anxious subjects also reported a few characteristics that differed from healthy people. Dreams are often faster and denser, the events follow one another, and the intensity of the sensations in the dream is higher. Amusing detail, if we can say so: the anxious dream much more of their exes than the others. What not to wake up in a good mood, that’s for sure.

Anxiety and dreams: when nights turn into nightmares

The study also reveals that anxious people tend to want to interpret their dreams. Given that they are used to being hyper-vigilant and are generally very preoccupied with their surroundings, anxious people often seek to understand everything that is happening to them, seeking meaning of dreams. Unfortunately, this poses a major problem: if people suffering from anxiety dream about their anxieties and think about them when they wake up, it is not impossible that this creates a vicious circle from which it is difficult to escape.

Anxiety disorders manifest themselves in several forms: generalized anxiety, panic disorder, specific phobias, agoraphobia and social anxiety disorder. Symptoms vary greatly from person to person. Some are psychological in nature, such as difficulty concentrating or a negative outlook on the future, while other symptoms of anxiety are physical, such as difficulty breathing, intense fatigue, or tremors. If you feel a malaise that evokes these symptoms and your dreams make your life impossible, contact a doctor or a psychologist to talk about it.