Typical dreams: Fulfillment of desire or anxiety relief?

Abstract

Freud evaluated typical dreams, such as flying, nudity, and the death of loved ones, within the framework of childhood wish fulfillment. He interpreted exam dreams from different perspectives over time: first as memories of punishments for past misdeeds, then as messages of consolation from past successes, followed by self-criticism regarding childish behaviors persisting in adulthood, and finally as a representation of a sexual trial. Considering typical dreams within Kohut’s framework of “self-state dreams” suggests that these dreams reflect not only the fulfillment of repressed wishes but also the regulation of internal anxieties and the maintenance of self-cohesion. This paper aims to examine the content of typical dreams and the emotions experienced in them through the lens of the censorship mechanism. In dreams, not only repressed wishes but also anxieties may be censored, serving functions that help maintain the individual’s psychological balance.