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What causes vivid dreams of abandonment by a close one?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I do not have a health issue but lately, I keep having an intensely vivid dream that an old best friend from high school or college abandons me right when everything gets crazy and I have people trying to hurt me. It is always in the manner of my phone will not connect with him or something like that but last night it was just that he was there and disappeared when I needed help. I keep waking up in a cold sweat and feeling like my dream has actually happened.

Answered by Dr. K. V. Anand

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Dream interpretation is not a reliable science branch yet. Many types of research have been done on dream interpretation but there are no conclusions yet as to what suggests what. Some researchers say dreams have no purpose or meaning and are nonsensical activities of the sleeping brain. Others say dreams are necessary for mental, emotional, and physical health.

Studies have shown the importance of dreams to our health and well-being. In one study, researchers woke subjects just as they were drifting off into REM sleep. They found that those who were not allowed to dream experienced: Increased tension, anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, lack of coordination, weight gain, tendency to hallucinate.

Nightmares, or bad dreams, are common in children and adults. Often nightmares are caused by: Stress, conflict, and fear, trauma, emotional problems, medication or drug use, illness. If you have a recurring nightmare, your subconscious may be trying to tell you something. Listen to it. If you cannot figure out why you are having bad dreams, and you continue to have them, I can help you figure out what is causing your nightmares and provide tips to put you at ease. In your case, you must be having an emotional issue with your friend and you are stressed due to that. Keep in mind that no matter how scary a nightmare is, it is not real and most likely will not happen to you in real life. Therefore, do not worry about any dreams at all. Worry may further stress you and may sometime make you be obsessive on those thoughts which may further develop into depression. Ignore those dreams. Engage in your day to day activities. Increase your physical activity level so that you sleep well and sound at night. Take care.

Answered byDr. K. V. Anand

Medically reviewed byDr. Divya Banu M

Published At July 23, 2019
Reviewed AtJune 27, 2024

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

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