Some people can remember their dreams from every night, yet others can remember when they first awake and have to write them down if they are to be remembered. Regardless of how you happen to remember your dreams, some are a bit shocking. Whether you dream that all your teeth fall out or show up naked at work, it can be a bit disconcerting. The great news is, the weird dreams are completely normal, as are dreams about the dreaded ex.
When we dream it is the brain, the psyche, processing information on multiple levels. Sometimes it is simply filling in the blanks, so to speak, but other times it is working through things on a symbolic level for which the other person is just a representative of an issue, not the actual person. This means that dreaming about your ex does not necessarily mean you are craving time with them.
However, it can mean that there is an underlying issue, sometimes with them sometimes with someone else, that does need addressed. If you need or are trying to decode a dream in which your ex was a feature, there are several common ones and the meaning shared below.
- Sex with an Ex
A sex dream about your ex, especially if you are with someone new, is awkward and probably had you waking up in a cold sweat totally discombobulated. There are some easy explanations for this, like you just blocked them on social media, or it could be that there are unresolved issues that you need to address but had previously been ignored.
- Fighting with an Ex
Considering the person in your dream is an ex, it is likely you did not leave things on great terms. There was likely at least one, but probably many, fights so fighting in a dream can be a subconscious way to resolve those fights that never really were. You are likely still angry over something that was left unresolved.
- The Cheating Ex
Some exes are exes because of cheating, but when you see it in a dream it is almost harder to accept. This type of dream is the psyche’s way of processing betrayal, even if it was not cheating. You still feel betrayed, and this is coming out in the dream.
- Getting Back Together
This dream is not a sign you should run back and beg for another chance, it is just a sign you do miss them a bit. It may not even be them you miss, but their family or even a pet. It could also mean that you are trying to reconnect with some part of yourself that is important.
- You Miss Them
Whether you actually miss them awake or just in your dreams, this is a way to process something that has come to an end. You may be experiencing a slight loss of identity that was tied to the relationship.
- They Miss You
If your dream has your ex really missing you, it can mean that you desire to be missed and wanted. You likely have affirmation as a love language, but do not focus on the actual person, you can seek to have that need fulfilled elsewhere.
- Meeting Your Ex’s New S.O.
If your ex has found someone new it can be a hit to you in real life because you are being replaced. If they have not found someone, yet you dream they have and it is someone you knew when together, then this is a way to show your anxiety of what could have happened or will at one time. Your dream is preparing you for what may inevitably happen.
- Ex Dies
The death of an ex in the dream does not necessarily mean you want them to die in real life, even if you said it in anger that one time. It actually indicates that you are ready to let your ex go and move on. If this seems wrong because you are still stalking them on Snapchat, it can mean that your sense of vulnerability to love and a new relationship has died inside of you.
- Ex is Excessively Ill
If you are dreaming about your ex being extremely sick, possibly even on their deathbed, then you likely need more time to heal. There was likely a part of the relationship that needed nurtured and healed. Instead of overindulging in dating apps, delete them and take time to heal yourself before jumping back in with someone new.
This is all to say that your dreams are dreams, not exact reality, but related. Each dream is unique to both the situation and dreamer, but the above offers some reference to common dreams. Make sure each dream that almost shocks you awake, is taken as something to analyze, not assume it is reality. If you ex is really an ex, then it was just a weird dream.