What It Means If You Dream Someone You Know Is Dying

It remains up for debate what dreams really mean. Some argue dreams don't mean anything at all. Others say it's your brain trying to organize the day's events. Still others say it's your subconscious desires coming through. Many of us will question the meaning of our dreams, especially when they're typically profound. Take death, for instance. What does it mean if you dream about someone dying? Let's explore, shall we?

Death is one of the most common themes for dreams, but don't worry — it's not because our minds are dark and depressing places plagued by the thought of dying. Like most dream themes, there are a few different interpretations people offer.

The Desire To Close A Chapter In Life

According to Lauren Lawrence, host of Celebrity Nightmares Decoded and writer on dream analysis, dreaming of death reveals a desire to "terminate something in life." Read: it's not necessarily about terminating life specifically. This could refer to a relationship, a job, or even past experiences that you wish to let go of. Russell Grant, author of The Illustrated Dream Dictionary, further explains that dreams about death aren't always horrible nightmares. Similar to Lawrence's thoughts, he says death dreams are encouragement to close one chapter and start fresh in some aspect of life. It's a reflection of change.

The Death Of A Specific Person

If you've repeatedly dreamt of one specific person dying, consider if this is someone you're harboring negative feelings for. Are you angry, jealous, or resentful toward them? Do you ever dislike being in their presence (or allowing them to take up space in your mind) and are always trying to get away from them? Their death in your dreams could be symbolic of this. The solution is a pretty clear one: you need to find a way to make peace with this person, whatever that may mean for you.

Problems You Have With Yourself

If you're experiencing death dreams, you might think about looking inward and searching for unresolved issues with yourself. According to psychotherapist and author Jeffrey Sumber, dreaming of death could represent an attempt to alleviate anger or anxiety you have toward yourself. Are you mad at yourself for something you said or did? Are you overcome with regret or worry? This is a good time for introspection to see what could be improved in your own life. Similar to how death dreams can represent the closing of one chapter and beginning of another, they could also signify negative emotions toward that change.

Helping You Heal

If you did happen to experience the death of a loved one lately and have subsequently be dreaming of death a lot, there could certainly be a connection. This could potentially be your mind trying to come to terms with your recent loss, and is part of the mourning process. In this respect, dreaming of death could actually be seen as a positive — albeit a painful one — because it could help you heal after the tragedy.

A Powerful Wake-Up Call

Take care not to take this literally. A death dream serving as a warning sign doesn't mean do this or you'll die. But it could be an important wake-up call regardless. Maybe you need to take better care of your health, pronto. Maybe someone near and dear to you needs help but is afraid to ask. Maybe there's something strange going on at work right under your nose and you need to handle it. Whatever the case may be, keep a sharp eye on what's happening around you (and to you).

An Escape

Death is like the final "escape," if you want to look at it that way, and dreaming of death could mean the same thing.

Are you caught up in a painful relationship? An awful job that's making your life a living hell? A toxic friendship that you seriously need to pull the plug on? If something bad is going on in your life that you have yet to remove yourself from, a death dream could symbolize your desire to escape it all — not by dying, just by getting away.

A Reflection of Self-Sacrifice

Do you feel like you're always putting others before yourself? Do you satisfy them and their needs before yourself and your own? Are you the last person you pay attention to, and only after you've taken care of everyone else? Maybe you're the peacekeeper in a situation — like a volatile workplace or a constantly arguing family. If any of this sounds like you, a dream about death could be related to the self-sacrifice you practice on the daily. In case anyone hasn't told you lately, you are the most important person in your life. Take care of yourself.