Desires about being chased revealed
Are you having goals about being chased? In your nightmares, do you run to a hiding spot, hoping to not get caught? Does the expertise go away you feeling terrified?
If the reply is sure, you wouldn’t be alone. One of the crucial frequent varieties of goals contain situations the place an individual is being chased. Generally, you realize who’s pursuing you. Different occasions, solely thier presence could be sensed.
Sound acquainted?
Within the aftermath of such goals, many individuals report feeling profound worry. Some even get up screaming, soaked in their very own sweat.
Chasing Desires Explored
As a counselor, I’ve labored with many individuals (women and men) who’ve shared with me the precise particulars of their goals. We’re speaking about all the things from goals about demise to goals a couple of love curiosity.
Whereas I don’t faux to have all of the solutions, I’ve performed quite a lot of analysis on dream content material in an effort to assist people higher perceive their which means.
Earlier than persevering with additional, you might have a proper to know who’s authoring this piece. I do know if I had been studying this web page, I’d be curious. Right here’s a fast thumbnail sketch.
I maintain a Ph.D. in psychology and educate college-level programs within the behavioral sciences for various establishments, together with NYIT.
Moreover, I’m a board-certified medical hypnotherapist and likewise maintain credentials in transcendental meditation. Lastly, I licensed within the state of Illinois as a psychological well being counselor.
With all of that stated …
I’m not making an attempt to place myself on the market as a dream interpretation guru. However right here’s the factor – anybody who tries to inform you they’re an “knowledgeable” in dream evaluation isn’t being straight with you.
That’s as a result of goals are fully subjective in nature. A lot relies on the interpreter’s theoretical orientation; a $10.00 time period used to explain what sort of psychology the skilled subscribes to.
Talking for myself, I determine as a cognitive conduct therapist (CBT) and pull upon integrative approaches from CBT’s third wave.
Most of what we find out about goals involves us from the well-known psychiatrist, Carl Jung. He’s largely credited with conceptualizing the lively creativeness (Chodorow, 1997). Consider this because the thoughts’s portal to the unconscious and different non secular dimensions.
That stated, it’s time to maneuver on to the true cause you got here to this web page – to know what chasing goals imply.
I’m going to inform you what I share with college students and purchasers after they come to me with a dream evaluation query. Are you prepared? Right here it goes:
Desires needs to be considered by way of the lens of symbolism and can’t be taken actually.
I point out this now for foundational functions. This can assist to offer context in all that follows. To make issues easy, I’ve created this put up within the conventional query and reply format. My hope is that can assist you rapidly get to the solutions you might be in search of.

What do chasing goals imply?
When an individual goals about somebody (or one thing) chasing them, it often represents an unconscious worry. In lots of circumstances, the depth of that worry is instantly linked to one thing an individual is fearful about.
There may be some analysis to counsel that dangerous goals are nothing greater than psychological projections of unmet psychological wants. However there’s a massive distinction between having an disagreeable dream and one involving being chased – effectively, no less than to me.
Some psychologists suppose you will need to determine who is doing the chasing. However what in case you don’t know “who” is?
Sometimes, what I hear is: “I might inform one thing was after me and so I ran. I might sense it was evil however that’s about it!”
Others have shared variations of the above. Examples embrace solely with the ability to see the eyes of the individual, like brilliant pink slits. I’ve even had some people inform me they noticed monsters operating after them with gold coloured eyes.
What’s fascinating is that males appear to have extra goals about being chased by a gaggle (aka: a pack of wolves) whereas ladies report being pursued by one object (like a creature).
I’ve no information to assist this remark and might solely inform you what’s been shared with me throughout counseling classes. To my thoughts, this is smart as a result of guys usually are those to have goals about combating – often towards two or three individuals without delay.
What does hiding imply in goals?
A standard dynamic as a part of a basic chase dream is the individual operating from a creature and discovering a spot to cover. Let’s say in your dreamscape, you might be being pursued by a beast within the misty woods.
From a spot of worry (and a need to outlive), you discover a large oak tree with a big trunk. Performing as a pillar, you conceal behind the tree till hazard passes.
FYI: I didn’t simply make this situation up. I’ve heard manifestations of this very same state of affairs from no less than a dozen of purchasers.
Right here’s a latest instance from a scholar who wrote me three weeks in the past.
“I knew one thing was chasing me so I hid behind a tree. I waited there till it felt secure to depart. However then I all of a sudden awoke!”
So, what does the act of hiding imply in goals? Nicely, it’s not what you could suppose. Most individuals say hiding symbolizes worry and self-protection.
However what if I instructed you that hiding actually represents one thing about you – like a secret? In lots of circumstances, that’s precisely what I consider is occurring.
So as a substitute of hiding your bodily individual (aka your physique), what you might be actually doing – symbolically – is defending info. The entity chasing you often represents a risk to that materials.
One other variation of the hiding theme pertains to unconscious fears of being uncovered. To chop to the chase, I’m speaking about being came upon as:
- A fraud
- Incompetent
- Pretend (not directly)
- Ignorant a couple of matter
- In some way “weak”
I’ve seen this dynamic most frequently in individuals who wrestle with a situation known as imposter syndrome. That’s principally a state of affairs the place a person is unable to simply accept their private accomplishments and consider themselves as a fraud.
One fascinating remark is how typically imposter syndrome appears to pop up with organizational leaders I’ve labored with, resembling senior executives and CEOs. So lots of them have shared with me – in confidence – that they really feel like they’re “faking it”.
Is smart?
Lastly, I additionally wish to say that I’ve seen the chase-hide dynamic happen with school college students. Sometimes, these goals happen across the time of main exams. And when you concentrate on it – doesn’t that pc? In any case, there are solely two outcomes of a check: go or fail.

What can I study myself once I dream about being chased?
With an open thoughts, you possibly can be taught a lot about your self from goals. With chase-hide goals, you could possibly determine deeply held sources of disgrace.
Moreover, you would possibly be capable of decide if somebody or one thing is inflicting you ache.
Keep in mind that goals additionally could be projections of tension. I typically joke with a few of my purchasers and say, “Simply since you went to sleep doesn’t imply your nervousness went to sleep too.”
The laborious reality is a few psychological well being points can lend themselves to nightmares, significantly numerous types of despair. I’m not saying in case you have dangerous goals that you’ve got psychological well being issues. However I’m saying that individuals who wrestle with sure varieties of points report dangerous goals extra regularly.
If I get caught in a dream, does it imply I’ll die?
That is an previous city fantasy. Many individuals suppose in the event that they dream of somebody grabbing or “catching” them – significantly whereas hiding, it means they may die in actual life.
In different phrases, they don’t get up.
Actually, that could be a bunch of nonsense. I can perceive why people purchase into this as a result of scary goals lend themselves to scary outcomes. Learn this web page on the which means of demise in goals to be taught extra.
What else could cause goals about being chased?
Other than numerous types of inner battle, there are outdoors influences that may influence dream materials. A biggie is drugs.
If you happen to’ve ever watched these commercials on T.V. the place the narrator talks concerning the side-effects of a sure med, you’ve little question heard: “(fill within the clean) could trigger sleep disruptions or nightmares in some individuals.”
That is why you will need to ask your physician questions on any new prescriptions.
Moreover, substances can also trigger individuals to have chasing goals. Examples embrace alcohol, hashish, and psychedelic tablets resembling ecstasy. Technically, the “goals” are hallucinations however the individual experiences the content material as a dream.
Are goals portals to a different dimension?
Earlier, I discussed that goals needs to be considered by way of the lens of symbolism. That very a lot holds true. However symbolism shouldn’t be regarded as exclusionary to different potentialities.
Consider it or not, there are some cultures who consider that goals are a pathway to supernatural communication – openings to different realms of existence that transcend this time and area.
Native Indians, for instance, consider in spirit animals. On this approach, a turtle or wolf showing in a dream symbolizes a life-lesson. Instance: wolves signify knowledge, turtles – endurance.
The place else can I study dream interpretation?
You will discover a number of info on the Web. A few of it’s nice. Others, not a lot. What I encourage individuals to do is maintain a dream journal. This helps them to document imagery, which often is linked to themes. It’s then only a matter of exploring the imagery and discovering their definitions from numerous sources.
Personally, I just like the e-book Understanding the Dream You Dreamed by Milligan (see Amazon). It’s written with out the entire psycho-babble we so typically see in dream-analysis books.
In closing, I’ll go away you with this. Desires generally is a great supply of self-insight. Don’t worry them. As an alternative, attempt to be taught one thing about your self.
Have you ever skilled goals about being chased? What do they imply to you?
References:
Chodorow, J. (1997). Jung on lively creativeness. Routledge.
Photograph Credit: Pixabay
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