Dr. Hughes Answers the Question: Who are the Unknown People We See In Our Dreams?

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The information presented in this website and the comments from Dr. Hughes are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or psychological disorder. The information presented is not a substitute for medical, psychological or psychiatric treatment. You are advised to seek professional medical and psychological help as necessary.

When we dream about people who we don’t recognize or know in real life, this is our  mind’s way of letting us work through something in reality that is more easily faced indirectly.  The unknown people usually represent someone or something in real life that we do know or even an aspect of ourselves.  By staying anonymous, our mind is better able to cope with whatever they bring to the dream.

For example, let’s say you are dreaming about arguing with a friend in your dream; however, in real life, you have no such friend and the topic of the argument is something you’ve never had to manage.  Instead of writing this data off as some crazy dream stuff, you should look a bit closer at the  details.  How did the interaction make you feel in your dream?  Is this a familiar feeling you have?  If so, with whom?  Though in your dream you may be arguing with an unknown friend, in reality, you may have conflict with a teacher, a family member, or even a certain behavior within yourself.

Dreams, according to Freudian psychoanalytic theory, are symbolic.  Every piece you recall is best considered a reasonable facsimile of the true reality.  With a little reflection and insight, I bet you’ll find that those “unknowns” who frequent your dreams actually have some sort of real-life counterpart.

Dr. Carsi Hughes received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Northwestern University Medical School. She is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in adult psychopathology, clinical neuropsychology, and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Academic appointments include Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology and Post Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Studies at Dominican University.