Different Dream Theories

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Everyone dreams, this is a common phenomenon that all humans share; but why people dream, and what people dream about, can be different for each person. The big question is what does a dream mean, and why did I dream it. There are so many different theories of what makes a person dream; some say to organize the brain, to sort of clean it up and out, it may be due to strong emotions or trauma, or dreams can help figure out and solve problems you may be having.
Many different cultures around the world and through out time feel that dreams are bigger; more important than our brains just continuing the thought process while we sleep. One example of cultural differences on why people dream, and what they mean; “The ancient Egyptians used dreams to make predictions about the future. They thought dreams were messages from the gods, which contained vital wisdom and prophecies,” (Turner). This allows researchers to think there may be deeper purposes for the brain to create these mini movies in peoples minds, while at rest. This paper will take a further look into two theories of why we dream, and what people dream about; emotions/trauma, and problem solving. Then taking a look at what lucid dreaming is, and controlling dreams and how they coincide with emotions and trauma, and with dreams being problem solving actions of the brain.
Emotions & Trauma, how dreams are affected:
When recalling dreams from the night before; there can sometimes be a connection to the present day, or a past event. An experience, or something seen, may stick with the brain; and remembering the event, the dream could replay in parts and pieces. These parts and pieces of dreams are most often disguised, and mixed in with the imagination of the brain, and re-creat...

... middle of paper ...

...d consists of and why. There will always be the question of why we dream and why we dream what we dream; but looking at examples, and dream journals, people can see that all of the above could be a possibility.

Works Cited

Guthrie, Catherine. "Solve Problems In Your Sleep." Prevention 58.5 (2006): 184-214.
MasterFILE Elite. Web. 8 Nov. 2013.
Hartmann, E. "Nightmare After Trauma As Paradigm For All Dreams: A New Approach To The
Nature And Functions Of Dreaming." Psychiatry 61.3 (1998): 223-238. MEDLINE. Web. 8 Nov. 2013.
Holzinger, B 2009, ‘Lucid dreaming-dreams of clarity’, Contemporary Hypnosis (John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.) 26.4 (2009): 216-224. Academic Search Premier. Web. 8Nov. 2013
Turner, Rebecca. "Why Do We Dream?." World of Lucid Dreaming. (2008-2013): n. page. Web.
8 Nov. 2013. .

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