Offender-nightmares—Frequencies and characteristics.

In nightmares, the dream-self is mostly the victim, but there are also dreams in which the dream-self is the offender. Little is known yet about these offender-nightmares; thus, the main goal of the present study was to carry out the frequencies of offender-nightmares and to investigate if the dream-self is offending mostly in self-defense and anger, or whether the dream-self is offending out of fun and pleasure. Besides, personality traits of offender-nightmare dreamers, non–offender-nightmare dreamers, and nonnightmare dreamers are observed. Results show that the prevalence of offender-nightmares is not as high as in previous studies, but nevertheless offender-nightmares definitely appear. Being the offender in dreams does not necessarily mean that the dreamer calls the dream a nightmare. In most cases, the dream-self is offending in the heat of the moment and in self-defense, so possibly offender-nightmares are simulations of exaggerated manifestations of threats or anticipated conflicts, which the dream-self can only solute by offending. Future studies may investigate the coping styles of frequent offender-nightmare dreamers in waking life. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
Source: Dreaming - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research