If you’ve ever had a dream about killing, then you’re probably already aware of how frightening it can be. But you can rest assured that just because you dreamed about killing someone in real life, that doesn’t imprint the killing gene on you and certainly doesn’t make you a murderer.
Dreams can have all sorts of deeper, non-literal significance, some of which we’ll discuss in this article. So if you’ve just had a dream about killing and are terrified about what it could mean, then relax and make yourself a cup of tea before continuing.
However, a word of warning: dreams are not a greater signal that you should go out and hurt somebody. It could be a sign of depression or frustration, and you must seek help for any serious psychological conditions you might have.
We do have some perfectly rational and normal explanations for why you might be dreaming about killing someone, as well as what it could mean in your life and what you can do to stop them recurring.
Dreams About Being Killed
Outside of traditional folklore, dreams are very seldom seen as something that will predict the future. We recognize killing as an awful act and therefore dreams usually represent something awful happening within us.
Dreams of being killed usually represent something in your past that has been bottled up for too long. The overwhelming sense of aggression could be due to unresolved anger about something which you need to let go and move on with.
If you have murdered with a weapon that could mean that you’ve experienced a disconnection in your life.
With all these issues, seeking to articulate and talk through the issue with a licensed professional is one step of many in the long process of divesting yourself of these feelings.
Dreams About Killing Someone You Know
Remember that dreams are not always what they seem. A person that you know in your dream is not necessarily a literal symbol of that person or even your relationship with them.
A person that you know in a dream could actually be a representation of yourself or a certain aspect of yourself that you feel disconnected with or you have unresolved issues with. This is in no way a sign that you hate this person.
Write down some of the associated feelings you have towards this person in the dream. Often you’ll find that they have no connection with the feelings you have towards them in the waking world.
Once you have identified these emotions, you can more accurately measure whether these feelings are a product of your psyche alone or a reflection of an aspect of the relationship you share with said person.
Dreams About Killing A Stranger
This could be a signal that you need to change something about yourself that you do not like. Often aggression towards ourselves can manifest itself in the form of these unrecognizable individuals.
Our subconscious mind separating this aspect of itself is a way of processing these negative feelings. We often hold an object in front of us to get a better idea of it, well, this is no different.
Again, write down your thoughts and feelings towards this stranger and see if certain repeated words come up that can help you articulate and move on from this inner conflict.
Dreams In Which You Are Killed
The rumor perpetuated by a lot of horror films is that if you get killed in your dreams then you die in real life. This is almost certainly never the case, as there have been numerous recorded instances of people waking up immediately after their deaths.
The more likely consequence of you being killed in a dream is that your mind feels like it’s losing control about an aspect of your life. Again, like in our previous dream, the mind likes to put a feeling outside of itself to make sense of it.
If you’re being chased by someone, then you probably feel like someone or something is overpowering you. Analyze your home and work life and consider whether it might be a situation in which you feel out of control or under intense pressure.
Remember: death in a dream can also mean a significant, positive change. Once that part of you has been ‘killed’, you can then move on into a happier, more balanced frame of mind.
Dreams About Witnessing A Murder
If you find yourself a witness to a murder, this usually represents you feeling cut off from a certain situation, emotion or aspect of yourself.
Sometimes you’ll find that you’re unable to intervene in the killing. This could mean that you’re feeling helpless over a particular situation or aspect of your life.
Luckily, we aren’t so helpless in the waking world. By seeking professional therapeutic help or addressing the issue by talking it through with a close friend, you might be able to resolve it and avoid the dream recurring.
Dreams About Someone You Know Being Murdered
The brain processes life events in the dream world in ways that we can find incomprehensible and simply disturbing at first. Watching someone we know getting murdered is never a nice thing to experience.
However, it can actually mean that you feel powerless in stopping something awful or sad happening to someone you know or love.
If you have recently broken up with a partner or have suffered some bereavement, then seeing that person die in your dreams is your mind telling you that you feel helpless and probably somewhat responsible for events taking their course on a subliminal level.
Remember: these things are often outside your control. Seeking professional help and moving through this stage in your grief will help you process the pain and guilt a lot faster. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that a lot of dreams are the body’s natural way of processing any real-world trauma you might be experiencing. Only if these dreams persist for months and maybe years should you seek help.