On Dreams

All the components of dream processes discussed thus far are functions of the dream itself. The mind utilizes compression, displacement, and composition to make the subconscious available and intelligible. Freud characterizes dreams as a “hysterical symptom” of a psychical process to address obsession and desire (65). As repressed desires become stronger and influence more behavior, the unconscious mind seeks to make them known to the conscious mind so they can be dealt with. However, these repressed desires are often threatening and can overwhelm consciousness; utilizing symbolism in dreams allows the process to be achieved more gradually. However, it is only through analysis that those desires can be recognized, as expressed in the theme Making Meaning Through Analysis.

In Chapter 8, Freud focuses on displacement, which he argues poses the greatest threat to dream interpretation. Displacement obscures the deepest unconscious desires and thoughts. Analysis roots out these hidden concepts. Unconscious thoughts are buried so deep that they may seem entirely alien to the person whose dreams are being analyzed. Freud suggests that even in the case of his own dreams he often finds the ideas presented through analysis to be “unpleasant” and “foreign” (66). This concept corresponds with Freud’s earlier assertion that the more convoluted a dream is, the deeper the repressed desire is buried. The patient may not enjoy uncovering the desires that are expressed through dream symbolism, and the unconscious mind utilizes displacement to avoid that discomfort.

These thoughts are not conscious to the individual because they have been repressed. The mind often wants to conceal thoughts, especially if they are too dark. Displacement succeeds in hiding deep-set desires and replacing them with more palatable symbols. Discovering why the mind wants to hide a thought is not the focus of dream interpretation. For patients with anxious behavioral symptoms, the uncovering of hidden thoughts can lead to recovery. By making the unknown known, the patient can deal with the emotions that have long been hidden from the self.

This correlates with the theme Dreams as Expressions of Desire. Freud’s suggestion that determining why the mind wants to conceal a desire is not the goal of analysis is noteworthy. Rather, he argues that the point is merely uncovering and acknowledging the desire. This is the goal of psychoanalysis, and it leads to healing. Uncovering repressed desires is often uncomfortable. Freud’s personal example exhibits how both the conscious and unconscious minds work diligently to avoid addressing and managing repressed desires. Freud even steers away from revealing his own hidden desires as he finds them too personal and too disturbing to share in his writing.

Chapter 9 opens with a summary of the previous ideas. The mind represses desires and hides them from consciousness. The dream is a psychical process to compress, distort, and present information about these desires in an intelligible and meaningful way. Analysis reveals the hidden desire. Freud divides dreams into three categories based upon their expression of desire. The first is the non-repressed or non-concealed desire. These types of dreams are often produced by children. They are simple and straightforward, and the desire expressed in the dream is clear and tangible. In the second, repressed desires are expressed in most adult dreams and can be interpreted through analysis. The third type reveals the repressed desire with little disguise. The dreamer experiences dread, and the dream often ends abruptly.

The interpretation of dreams has little to do with the self-perceived impact of the dream on a patient’s life. Instead, it is about the ways repressed desires affect everyday life unknown to the patient. The unconscious mind holds onto and conceals desires from the conscious mind, but these impulses still drive behavior. Freud argues that anxious behaviors or obsessions are born out of repression. The assertion that analysis reveals the hidden desire addresses the theme Making Meaning Through Analysis. Although the process and experience of analyzing dreams and uncovering repressed desires may be uncomfortable, it is important work because it reveals the psychical relationship between repressed desires and both behavior and anxieties.