You ever wonder why being chased in our dreams is one the most common nightmare to experience?
It doesn’t matter if you are being Chased In Your Dream by the police, madman, monster, killer or even a dog, these dreams contain a very symbolic message that helps the dreamer understand their deep rooted fears in life.
In a nutshell being chased in your dream relates to some sort of inner conflict that we are unable to face that remains unconscious. Your dream will use specific themes or images to guide you towards the root of the problem.
The mere fact that chase dreams are considered the most common recurring dream theme tells you that you are not the only one with this problem.
Article: Tips On How To Stop Recurring Dreams
The good news is once you are able to identify who or what the attacker represents in your dream it will lose all of its powers. Chase dreams contains a very valuable message that is often decoded metaphorically. Find out how to turn the tables on who is chasing you in your dreams.
Understanding Chase Dreams
The difficult part about chase dream is the level of introspection the dreamer must undergo in order to figure out the underlying issue. Like most people who either tend to ignore or repress these unconscious feelings or emotions tend to rare its ugly head in our dreams.
How to understand what might be chasing you will involve looking inward to examine your own motives, thoughts, behaviors and emotions. Since these feelings remain unconscious you will need time to self reflect on what this could be.
Analyzing Chase Dreams
Your dream will give you many clues help put pieces of the puzzle together. The meaning of the dream can alter depending the context, locations, weapons, animal or human etc…
An unrecognizable face connects the dreamer to his or hers shadow, the part of the unconscious mind and is composed of repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts, or shortcomings. This can also imply to monsters, ghosts or entities that have manifested to portray your flaws.
The location helps determine where the problem might be stemming from. Houses are common locations that imply the psyche as each floor contains a different meaning.
Chased By A Killer Dreams
What has the ability to kill you in your dream shows you the power this unconscious force has over you. Essentially you are running away from something that scares or intimates you in your life. Do you know what this is?
Chased By Soldiers or Police
If you are being chased by an authority figure such as the police or soldiers suggests your unconscious actions will eventually catch up with you. Police are authority or enforcers in your life that emerges when you are misbehaving or doing something you shouldn’t. You might be unaware of these actions but whatever you are doing will have a consequence.
They are sent from the unconscious parts of us that is known to police our emotions, movement or beliefs systems that could be in need of fixing.
Chased By Attacker Madman
If you are being killed by the attacker implies the fears have consumed you to a point where you are unable to fend for yourself. If you stand up to the killer suggests you will overcome these issues.
Noticing the attacker is a clue to where the problem might be rooted in. They may possesses the qualities that you ignore within. If you where chased by the police suggest a problem with not admitting your issues. Afraid to be judged for your actions.
Are You Chasing Something?
We are more likely to have a dream of being chased, however we do tend to have dream of chasing things. These dream point to our ambitions and what we want to reach for in our lives that are not obtainable at the moment.
Dream Of Chasing And Hiding
Usually when we are running away and hiding from something in our dreams it often points to avoidance. This is something you are metaphorically avoiding and ignoring. What could this be?
- guilt
- addiction
- negative thought patterns
- anger/rage
- smoking
- over eating
- video games or Daydreaming
- alcohol
- unhappiness/Depression
Fight or Flight?
Being chased in our dreams can have a similar feeling to the physiological feeling of “flight or fight” response. This occurrence has passed down from our ancestors when we are in the presence of something terrifying. The response is triggered by the release of hormones that prepare your body to either stay and deal with a threat or to run away to safety.
The distance running would be equivalent to how close you are to solving this issue. Once you are able to face your fears and stand up to the attacker he will no longer be a threat to you. The feelings that are felt in your dream mimic that of what an anxiety attack feels like. Remembering what you are running away from is a clue to help solve the meaning of the dream.
- rapid heart rate
- pale or flushed skin
- dilated Pupils
- trembling/rapid thoughts
Stop Having Chase Dreams
If you want to stop your chase dreams you will need to confront what you are naturally escaping. Make a list of negative behaviors in your life which you are not willing to confront; anything you are trying to escape from. It is important to understand that escapism is a kind of defense mechanism.
Understanding it might be a form of deflection; pushing something under a rug appears on the next side. They issues will not disappear overnight; they create looping patterns in your life. You will notice that the dream will continue to get worse the more you deflect and find yourself in these similar scenarios.
Chase Dream Recap
Chase dreams can be complicated to decode if you have problems remembering your dream. However, if these chase dreams are recurring you can submit it to our active dream forum and have one of our dream experts take a look at it for you.
If you watched a horror movie just before you went to bed its very possible that you would have a dream of being chased. If this happens disregarded as just a normal dream.
Analyzing your chase dream can be a very helpful tool to manage how you handle stressful situations in your life. You will will open the doors to what is hidden so the next time you do it will be easier.
I had a nightmare that a strangers dad was a serial killer on the loose. He told me to run away, I was first in a parking lot frantically running going thru doors, catching glimpses of his father killing people around me, i escaped and ended up at my best friends house at a small gathering, I tried to warn people but it seemed like they were under a spell? it was christmas, now new year’s eve. the killer than turned into different people, now a chinese woman, I tried to quietly warn people, particularly my crush, he was with… Read more »
Question. What is your relationship like with your dad?
it’s good! I love my dad and he loves me but I do wish he would treat my mom a little better.
I keep having chasing dreams but they are different every time. In the one that is stuck in my head I am being chased by a man and a dog, the dog looked like some kind of bulldog. They chased me for what felt like ages, once I decided to hide under a nearby truck, then I climbed a tall Paperbark tree. I ended up nearly being caught multiple times. Whilst still in the dream I woke up at a strange made-up school (I am high school age). I ended up finding my real-life friends at that school and told… Read more »
Dogs in dreams can be tricky symbols depending the gender of the dreamer. They can range anywhere from your best friend or the hidden masculine side of the dreamer that points towards your unconscious behaviors, instincts, urges that are domesticated; unlike the wolf that is wild or the cat that is feminine. Though, Carl Jung connected women who dream of dogs related to their inner masculine energy within the feminine called the animus – composed mainly with the males in their lives that link back to the father. See animus in search bar. In dreams the tree is an iconic… Read more »
I had a dream in which a woman I have worked for was holding me hostage in what looked like the house I live. I decided to escape while she was asleep out of that house but when I was about to get out of the gate, it was locked and the gate was surrounded by a razor wire at the top, I didn’t know what to do but I escaped I don’t know how. Later I’m on the streets at night running away from her as she is looking for me. This street looks like one I lived in… Read more »
The house is your mind and you are trying to escape something that remains unconscious to you. The razor wire is sort of your protection you may have put up to protect yourself. So in what areas do you feel stuck or held against your will?
So last night, I had a dream that I took my dad’s truck out and stopped at a public restroom in the middle of nowhere. When I left the shared bathroom, I heard incredibly heavy footsteps behind me, and of course, I jumped in the truck and sped off. What was following me reminded me of a werewolf, but it had glowing white eyes. Eventually, my dad comes to rescue me, but he looks way different from usual, and he explains that whatever was chasing is gone and that I’ll be safe inside the house. Probably one of the scariest… Read more »
Nice dream. Houses in dreams often connect the person to the psyche/mind or inner architecture. So there seems to be a lot of unconscious elements at play here. We recently did an article on werewolves that has more to do with you; untamed, aggression but also has elements driven by the moon/night that pulls the feminine. Read article in search bar: werewolf. Now the restroom tells you something that you have been holding on to; the connection with your drive that links to your father needs to be let go. This may have recently happened since you are safe at… Read more »
I have this dream that I am in the woods running. I am running from one man. Then suddenly I am surrounded by at least 4 men. I can’t get away. I don’t know what to do …then I have fhe worste feeling ever in my whole body and ❤. I know what they are going to rape me. One starts and then the rest come towards me. It starts to go black and then I wake up crying and or shaking. A friend told me it’s from another life. She said they were teaching me a lesson about standing… Read more »
Anytime we enter the woods or forest in our dreams we are actually entering the unknown or unconscious part of ourselves. So you might need to break down the meaning metaphorically before you jump to conclusions. It might have some element of being taken advantage of; one starts than others join. Now this could be a repressed memory related to being taken advantage of. When you run away it tells you that you are avoiding something, but what? They are of masculine energy and the woods belongs to the unconscious feminine within you.
I dreamed of playing hide and seek with friends/classmates in a community college.
Hiding becomes not facing and seeking is to find something within. The school is metaphoric to self knowledge.
I had a dream that I was being chased by a serial killer with a knife. And I remember trying to save three little girls, I was saving them by taking them out the window. I remember seeing old houses like in the middle of no where. Where there is dirt. And screaming for help.
Houses in dreams often connect the person to the psyche/mind or inner architecture. So this might be related to your past or something from your childhood. Usually what chases us is our unconscious fears that stem from the past. This might be why you are in the middle of nowhere (metaphoric clue) that suggests being lost to this issue. The girls could be related to your inner child that you are trying to save (see inner child in search bar). Whenever knives appears in our dreams it contains elements of removing or cutting away from someone or something. The area… Read more »
I had a dream that I was running from several black shadow figures through a forest and it was pouring down rain. I remember I tried to conjour an umbrella (i do not practice any kind of magic) but could not, so I kept running. I then tried to separate the trees and create a path but could not do that either. I finally found a house but it was in miniature. Again, I tried to use magic and make the house larger but it wouldn’t work. I tried putting my leg inside the door but it wouldn’t fit. I… Read more »
The dream seems to be hinting at your unconscious fears. Anytime we enter the woods or forest in our dreams we are actually entering the unknown or unconscious part of ourselves. These shadows are known to be metaphors for something that we cant see but feel its presence. The house belongs to a part of your mind as the light is your awareness – the light goes out!
So you need to figure out what is no good? I think this is a message from your unconscious or higher self (old man’s voice).
Dreampt every adult was expected to hand themself over to die at Halloween or Xmas. I was staying in these tight knit little apartments of everyone that was expected to. I was about to die and said NO to the person who was making it seem required(my first time being required). I climbed up a building wall to follow the dude who was pushing me to(he wanted my death to be pushing me over the building). I fell down trying to climb up, so i began to climb again. Half way up to him I decieded not to so I… Read more »
The dream is about change and endings from something in your life. Buildings in our dream are symbolic in the sense they appear to be related to things we metaphorically build in our lives; a sub construct (mind/psyche) relating to principles, relationships, beliefs (see building dreams in the search bar). Death is in fact a good symbol, but often bad when met with resistance. Read article in search bar: Benefits of dying
I had a dream that I was running away and hiding from a man trying to attack me. I hid and ran through a hotel and parking garage, seemed like a maze of running trying to escape and hide until it was safe to find a new location to run and hide to. My boyfriend was with me some of the time and tried to help me escape. I never could see the attacker’s face, but he was very hostile and smart. He also hurt/killed other people that were in the way. I ended up at a grocery store where… Read more »
The maze has been created by you to avoid something in your life and your dream is essentially mapping this out. If you run to a new location it tells you that you may try to do something different but end up in the same area. You are unable to see his face because this threat remains hidden from you. What could this be? Your fears or perhaps what Jung called your very own shadow. See shadow in search bar. Remember your b/f is helping you escape, what does this tell you? The grocery store is sort of like an… Read more »
I had a dream that my abuser aka a family member was chasing me through my new home and he got through 3 doors and even found a chain saw to help him. I was doing my best to run away and keep safe but I’m not sure as to how the dream ends because I forced myself to awake.
Houses in dreams often connect the person to the psyche/mind or inner architecture. So if the house is new it tells you about a change in your life, however their still seems to be trauma because of the abuse hence why he is chasing you. Doors are symbolic in the sense they have the ability to open parts that may have been closed off previously or to protect the dreamer. If he got through 3 doors it means that the manifestation of him accessed what you might have closed off in the past. I have not idea why you would… Read more »
I just had a dream I was talking on the phone with my best friend and when we hung up I noticed I was being followed. I was running so fast that I levetated off the ground and the faster I ran, the higher in the air I would go. I was running out of energy but escaped the first man. I made it to my front door and a slender man was behind me with a knife trying to grab me and stab me. I again levetated above my door and he was jumping up trying to stab me.… Read more »
After levitating in dreams is when we fly, and when we fly the dream becomes lucid. Flying dreams are good in the sense you are able to break free of this fear that is chasing you. But what could this be exactly? One clue emerges as you are using all of your energy to avoid this issue. Slenderman might be just a manifestation of your fears you are trying to cut (see knife dreams) or remove this unconscious aspect that needs to be made conscious.
in my dream, i was being chased through a madman through a worn down asylum/hospital with a group of friends on an island kind of like alcatraz. the killer ended up escaping twice to chase us, the first time was apprehended but i woke up before anything happened the second time. he kind of took on the appearance and behaviours of the villain in my favorite stephen king book, but had other differences i can’t quite put a finger on. he was using a semi-automatic gun and a scalpel, and at the end he had me and all my friends… Read more »
I would like to know the behaviors of the villain because it might be connected to what Jung called the shadow. I think this is a part of you that needs healing and based off of how you stood up and talked with him you are confronting this hidden side of you. See shadow in search bar and see if you can apply these behaviors/traits to things that remains hidden within you. Remember he is only chasing you for you to become aware of your fears.
I had a dream of my girlfriend’s mother chasing us both inside the great wall of China, we were both anxious, what does that mean?
The wall can be considered as a symbol of a barrier or protective nature. The anxious emotion might be an unconscious feeling pent up.
I dream I was being chased by men and women with dogs, and I was hiding, until they left and there was one dog that noticed me and I chase it away and one car with girls and boys come back and I come out to fight, then comes a man gun pretend to greet me and he takes out a gun and shoot me
Could the related to fears in your life that you are unable to confront. Guns are known to be symbols of aggression or intended targets. But who is this man? It could be a manifestation of your fears or someone who mimics him in your life, however it all depends on the location of the shot.
Read article: Hiding & Gun
I had a nightmare about being chased last night. I don’t remember the beginning of it, but I do remember getting in my old car with a bag of my belongings (it had my laptop in it, I think money too and everything else that I owned and like). It was nighttime and I was driving in an arid, hilly area. I found a good spot beneath a natural stone bridge where I safely hid the bag. I felt like everything was OK but then my grandad appeared and picked the bag up. I was so scared he’d give away… Read more »
Interesting dream. Bags are seen as symbols of the things we carry with us (past) in the present moment. So there seems to be something there that is stopping your transition. You are hiding (avoiding) something that is hindering your process to advance. See bridge. Your grandad is picking up something that belongs to you and you are worried he would give them away. Could this be something related to letting go of the past?
My children and I were in a clear still river that had dead salmon on the grassy banks. Suddenly a bear appeared on the bank and we ran for the truck. All kids made it before me and in was struggling to get through the water dragging my one year old. The bear was chasing us but stayed on the bank. When I finally got to the truck I got my baby in and close the door.I couldn’t get in though because I kept mixing up the truck doors opening and closing them. The bear caught up tome and it… Read more »
You see bears are symbolic in the sense they belong to the wild part of our personality or what some might call the unconscious traits, behaviors, emotions. (see bear dreams in search bar). They are commonly known to be associated with the feminine or connected with the mother. Rivers are very symbolic that connect with the passing of time or your relation to the movements to life itself. Bears are supposed to eat the salmon so if they are dead it becomes an unconscious metaphor for not nurturing this aspect. The truck door might be connected to your drive and… Read more »
I had a dream I was with friends and my ex best friend showed up. He’s a guy and I’m a girl. We ended on bad terms because of things he did. In my dream I was on the back side of my property and found out he was looking for me and so I took off running and then I saw his truck driving across the field following at an angle to the direction I was heading (my house). I ran across a field and hid behind a truck and then took off for the house but he saw… Read more »
The backside of your property seems to reflect the past or something behind you. Houses in dreams often connect the person to the psyche/mind or inner architecture. Going through the back door (negative) tells you something. The bathroom connects to the root chakra (see chakra dreams) about releasing or letting go of something within you. You are hiding from some aspect of him.
On more than one occasion I’ve had serial killers from movies chasing me. Michael Myers is the most common, but sometimes it’s some of the other classics. The dream usually starts with a bunch of people and by the end it’s just me and the “killer”. The weird part is that in the dream I usually am aware that I’m asleep and dreaming. So, I’ll try to wake myself up before the killer finds me. I’ve never been caught in my 10 years of having this dream, but I’m just wondering why it’s reoccurring.
“The weird part is that in the dream I usually am aware that I’m asleep and dreaming. So, I’ll try to wake myself up before the killer finds me.” This is what could be called lucid dreaming.
Mike Myers hides behind a mask, so this is something that is unconscious to you that wants you to be aware of. What could this be? Well you will need to tell me the dream in order to give it a shot but in most cases it seems to be related to your fears that you keep running from.