Recurring dream

[Eggplant345]

I keep having this dream and it's the same one over and over again. It's about me going to jail and I've gotten a life sentence for god knows what and I keep begging the D.A to get me out of jail and while I am begging I always wake up. I have health anxiety also. Currentlly at my worse stage of anxiety. My therapist told me that that recurring dreams mean that it is trying to connect with something you are dealing with in your real life. That it means that my health anxiety has me feeling imprisoned and tied down and that I'm begging to be let go because I know health anxiety is going to be something I will probably live with for my entire life. What do you think this means? Do you agree with my therapist?

[Rennie1989]

He certainly has a point. I kept getting reoccuring dreams of my wedding when I was planning it and something always went wrong, that was because I was worried something would go wrong. If the problem gets addressed then I'm sure the dreams will lessen or go.

[inCOGnito]

Only you will be able to tell if it has real validity or not. It certainly sounds plausible and the obvious connection is feeling imprisoned by something and wanting to be free. Look inside yourself and see what comes up.

[meche]

I have 2 recurring dreams & I always seem to have them when I'm a bit worried or anxious about something. The first is that I'm in a free falling lift but I always get out - I don't know how. The second is that I'm pushing a pram knowing there is a baby in there but when I go to get the baby out there is no baby but my cat who was put to sleep a couple of years ago. I can relate to the second dream for various reasons but the first one really freaks me out. xx

[nosweat]

I don't think you will have this anxiety for the rest of your life. There is no way for you or your therapist to know that. Just take each day by itself. Imagining yourself 8 months from now with severe anxiety makes your anxiety in the moment 10xworse. I agree that the dream may reflect that you feel imprisoned right now. Life isn't meant to be just a big punishment, like serving a life sentence. I hope this helps :)

[Speranza]

I think you recognise when you have hit the right answer with a dream. I agree with InCOGnito. So the fact that you are asking us may mean you haven't quite got there yet. However the thought did occur to me that the dream is about you not wanting to acknowledge suicidal feelings in case they become too real and you kill yourself. Does that make any sense? I put it bluntly because if that IS what it's about, it could be that you feel guilty (religion? Family?) and aren't acknowledging a level of despair which in fact, if you faced it, you could talk through with your therapist and bring it down to a manageable size.

I may have that totally wrong! You will know when you have the answer, just relax and let it come to you. Don't overthink if possible. (Says me! :wacko:)