When you dream about someone are they thinking of you? This is one of the most common questions about dreams – and you’re going to find answers in this article.
I’m often asked about what a specific dream means in my life coaching sessions. The deeper meaning of recurring dreams is a topic that definitely comes up too.
That’s why I’m excited to share this guide with you.
So, let’s dive in.
Is It Correct That Psychology Says When A Person Appears In Your Dreams, That Person Wants To See You?
This is an incredibly powerful idea that’s often mentioned in the world of spirituality.
You may have seen it mentioned in my guides on twin flames or the soul family that dreams provide a sign of your soulmate arriving soon.
However, it’s a false assumption that this idea is discussed the same way by psychologists. There have been no psychological studies proving that this is the case.
That isn’t because there haven’t been any studies at all either. The idea of ‘dream telepathy’ has been reviewed by scientists but all conclusions proved to be negative.
Related Content: Clear Signs Your Twin Flame Is Thinking Of You
Is It True If You Have A Dream About Someone They Were Thinking About You?
No, there is no evidence suggesting that dreaming about someone correlates with them thinking about you.
Of course, it’s possible that the person in your dream world has been thinking about you. If this person is physically present in your life, it might even be probable. But there is no direct link suggesting someone appears in your dreams because they think about you.
Is It True That If You Dream About Someone They Miss You?
It’s certainly possible that you will dream about a certain person if you’re feeling lonely and miss them. As we’ll explore later, your dreams are mostly a manifestation of your subconscious feelings, emotions and thought patterns.
However, there’s no correlation between this person missing you and them appearing in your dreams. There is no proof backing up the idea that this person has subconsciously manifested themselves into your dream using some kind of energy vibrations.
If you feel sad about a best friend or someone special exiting your life, see my guide on moving on without closure for assistance.
If I Dream Of Someone, Are They Dreaming Of Me?
Another idea that comes from the spiritual realm is that people with a strong spiritual connection will appear in each other’s dreams. It’s called mutual dreaming or reciprocal dreaming. Again, there is no solid evidence to back up this person dreaming of you.
When You Dream About An Ex Are They Thinking Of You?
It’s common that people dream about their current partner or ex-partner, as these individuals tend to be a source of strong positive or negative emotions. A romantic relationship can be strong enough to mould who we are and how we think, long after they disappear from their lives.
So, it makes sense that they often remain in our subconscious or even our conscious mind long after they disappear.
If that’s the case, it would be likely for your ex to pop up in your dreams, at least now and again. This would be especially common if you have unresolved issues with your ex or you still interact with them in your waking life. Maybe the idea that you’re still on their mind about you is wishful thinking on your part?
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So, What Does It Mean You Dream About Someone?
Dream interpretation has been occurring across many cultures for thousands of years – and there are several common explanations of what it means when you dream about someone.
It’s widely agreed that dreams are the result of your subconscious trying to process subconscious thoughts you’ve had during the day. This is the brain’s way of trying to process and make sense of your feelings.
The amygdala is the part of your brain responsible for your emotions – and this is more active while you’re asleep and your cerebrum and cerebellum can rest. This is why your subconscious inner thoughts are brought to the forefront of your mind as you sleep.
When you dream about a specific person, it usually means they have been part of your thoughts on a subconscious level. The reasons why are up to you to interpret.
Sometimes, the reason will be obvious. Perhaps you’re dreaming about your ex-boyfriend because you still have strong feelings or feel guilty about the break-up.
Other times, the person in your dreams has a more symbolic meaning. We’ll explore some examples of these shortly.
Dreaming about someone you know in real life is common. In a recent study, 60% of people said they have dreams about people they know at least once a month, while 95% said they dream that often about their current relationship.
Maybe you’re dreaming about an ex-partner or distant friend regularly. But, just to make it clear, you’re the one thinking about them! There’s no solid evidence that the person in your dreams is thinking about you.
Could There Be A Symbolic Reason You’re Dreaming About Someone?
Many dream experts agree that dreams are symbolic. It’s not always obvious why certain objects, people or places appear. Often, there’s a hidden meaning.
Some intrepretors refer to their ‘dream dictionary’, which has a list of explanations for the most common dreams. Perhaps you’ve heard that a house represents your mind or that flying represents ambition, for example.
Sigmund Freud famously denied these fixed explanations. Instead, he encouraged people to empty their minds of conscious thoughts and interpret their own dreams. His conclusion was that dreams were a result of ‘conflict’ in the mind of the dreamer (essentially something they want but don’t have), but it was up to them to understand their underlying meaning.
Under Freud’s explanation, the symbolism would be unique to the thought patterns of the individual dreamer. But, here’s a random example of a symbolic meaning so it’s easier to understand this concept. Perhaps you’re dreaming of a family member because that person represents ‘innocence’ in your mind, and you’re subconsciously feeling guilty about something.
Of course, this wouldn’t apply to you if you didn’t see this person as a symbol of innocence. That’s why Freud reputed the idea of dream dictionaries entirely.
What Does It Mean When You Dream About Someone Repeatedly?
A one-off dream about someone is likely to be a result of a short-term ‘conflict’ that’s quickly resolved. It’s also far more likely to be just a coincidence or a result of unimportant thoughts in the subconscious mind.
If you dream about someone repeatedly, this is far more likely to be related to a serious long-term ‘conflict’. As previously mentioned, the conflict could be directly related to this person. Or this person could be a symbol that’s indirectly related to it.
What Does It Mean When You Dream Of Someone You Dont Talk To Anymore?
Has someone from your distant past started to appear in your dreams? Has this startled you because this person hasn’t been part of your conscious thoughts of your years?
In this case, this person is most likely to be a symbol of a different ‘conflict’ going on in your mind, unless there was an resolved issue with this person that is only now starting to weigh on your conscience.
What Does It Mean When You Have A Dream About Someone You Like?
In this case, the ‘conflict’ causing this dream is likely to be directly related to your crush. Perhaps you want to talk to them, or you want them to ask you on a date? Maybe you feel guilty or embarrassed about an interaction you had with them? Ask yourself what you’re consciously or subconsciously wishing about this person.
What Does It Mean When You Have A Dream About Someone You Barely Know?
It can be startling to have a dream about someone you barely know, especially if these are recurring dreams.
You may be more confused and alarmed about this person appearing, and more likely to wonder why it’s happening.
It can be disturbing to think that this person is appearing because they’re constantly thinking about you, although we’ve established now that this is highly unlikely.
In most cases, this happens because a symbolism you’ve subconsciously attached to them is related to a ‘conflict’ in your subconscious mind. Now, it’s up to you to understand what the conflict causing this dream could be.
What Does It Mean When You Dream About Someone Thinking About You?
Let’s assume that you do believe the spiritual idea that people appear in your dreams because they’ve been thinking about you. What does that mean for you in real life?
The answer depends on your connection to this person, and whether you care what they were thinking. If you do, get in touch and ask them to hang out. This provides you the opportunity to learn more.
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Whether or not you believe in this idea, the surefire way to stop this person appearing in your dreams would be to resolve the internal ‘conflict’ you’re associating with this person.
That would first involve understanding the nature of the conflict, which isn’t always simple. A discussion with a life coach or therapist wouldn’t be the worst idea in this case. These professionals will be able to help you relax and lead you along a line of questioning that brings further understanding to your subconscious thought patterns.
A dream journal can also be a useful tool to help you remember and interpret dreams. Use it to journal about your previous day before you fall asleep, then about your dreams after you wake up. This will make you more consciously aware of your dreams and help you to spot a connection with your daily life experiences.
It’s worth mentioning that psychologists believe most people have several dreams every night. We only remember a small percentage of them though. How well people sleep has an impact, as light sleepers are believed to have more vivid dreams and lucid dreams. So, if you want to stop dreaming about the same person, this list of tips for a better night’s sleep could help.
Other Signs From The Universe That Someone Is Thinking About You
If you’re interested in learning more about the spiritual beliefs mentioned in this article, you can read my guide on Signs from The Universe That Someone Is Missing You. This will provide insight on other supposed signals that you’re a part of someone else’s regular thoughts. If you’re spiritually-minded it could help you discover all your love possibilities.
Any More Questions?
Thanks for reading my guide. I hope you found it to be genuinely helpful and you can use it to gain more clarity about why you’re dreaming about someone.
If you’d like to ask a question or share your own experiences regarding this topic, you can leave a comment in the box below.
I’m open-minded to the spiritual and scientific explanations of dreaming about someone. I want to discuss this topic for a bit longer – and it would be great to hear about your personal experience.
