Opinions about the meaning of dreams

Opinions about the meaning of dreams have varied and shifted through time and culture. Many endorse the Freudian theory of dreams – that dreams reveal insight into hidden desires and emotions.[qualify evidence] Other prominent theories include those suggesting that dreams assist in memory formation, problem solving, or simply are a product of random brain activation.[9]

Sigmund Freud, who developed the psychological discipline of psychoanalysis, wrote extensively about dream theories and their interpretations in the early 1900s.[10] He explained dreams as manifestations of one’s deepest desires and anxieties, often relating to repressed childhood memories or obsessions. Furthermore, he believed that virtually every dream topic, regardless of its content, represented the release of sexual tension.[11] In The Interpretation of Dreams (1899), Freud developed a

psychological technique to interpret dreams and devised a series of guidelines to understand the symbols and motifs that appear in our dreams. In modern times, dreams have been seen as a connection to the unconscious mind. They range from normal and ordinary to overly surreal and bizarre. Dreams can have varying natures, such as being frightening, exciting, magical, melancholic, adventurous, or sexual. The events in dreams are generally outside the control of the dreamer, with the exception of lucid dreaming, where the dreamer is self-aware.[12] Dreams can at times make a creative thought occur to the person or give a sense of inspiration.[13]

Contents
1 Cultural meaning
1.1 Ancient history
1.2 Classical history
1.3 Religious views
1.3.1 Abrahamic
1.3.2 Hindu
1.3.3 Buddhist
1.4 Philosophical realism
1.5 Postclassical and medieval history
1.6 Art
1.7 Literature
1.8 Popular culture
2 Neurobiology
2.1 Rapid eye movement
2.2 REM sleep
2.3 Brain activity
2.4 Cognitive capacity
3 In other animals
4 Theories on function
4.1 Dynamic psychiatry
4.1.1 Freud’s view
4.1.2 Jung’s view
4.1.3 Fritz Perls’ view
4.2 Neurology
4.2.1 Activation synthesis hypothesis
4.2.2 Continual activation
4.2.3 Defensive immobilization: the precursor
4.2.4 Excitation of long-term memory
4.2.5 Strengthening semantic memories
4.3 Psychological
4.3.1 Role in testing and selecting mental schemas
4.3.2 Evolutionary
4.3.3 Other
5 Content
5.1 Visuals
5.2 Emotions
5.3 Sexual themes
5.4 Color and luminance
6 Interpretations
6.1 Importance
6.2 Therapy
7 Incorporation of reality
8 Precognition
9 Lucidity
9.1 Communication
10 Absent-minded transgression
11 Recall
11.1 Personal differences
12 Déjà vu
13 Daydreams
14 Hallucination
15 Nightmare
15.1 Night terror
16 See also
17 References
18 Further reading
19 External links