Society

These are the different meanings of dreaming of deceased people according to experts

Dreaming about dead loved ones is more common than one would imagine. Understanding our emotions when we wake can give us insight into their symbolism.

Greg Heilman

Update: Feb 24th, 2025 18:13 EST

Nearly six out of ten people say that they’ve had dreams about a loved one that passed away according to one study, an experience that many have found both positive and unsettling. Perhaps even more so than with other dreams, we want to know the symbolism behind these surreal experiences.

However, doing so can be difficult as licensed marriage and family therapist Michelle King, LMFT, points out, “it’s important to remember that dream interpretation is not an exact science,” adding that depending on cultural, personal, and situational factors it “can vary greatly.” She says that having dreams about deceased loved ones “can be quite common and are a normal part of the grieving process,” and they can inform us about how we are dealing with the grief from the loss of that person.

Making sense of dreaming about dead loved ones

Dreams about a deceased loved one can come is several forms but are fairly universal according to Verywell Mind. The online resource for information on mental health and psychology topics broke them down into five categories including distressing dreams, dreams that take place in the past, dreams where the person is still alive, message dreams, and reunion dreams.

Distressing dreams

“If the deceased appears distressed or the dream is unsettling, it might indicate the dreamer’s unresolved guilt, anger, or sorrow related to the person,” explained King.

Dreams that take place in the past

Dreams that take place in the past “reflect memories from earlier life that we may still be trying to process and understand. After losing someone, we can be reminded of memories that we never fully made sense of before,” says licensed clinical social worker and a certified grief counselor Margaret Pendergrass, LCSW, GC-C.

Dreams where the person is still alive

Dreams where the person is still alive typically means that the dreamer is “still working through true acceptance that the loved one is gone,” explained Pendergrass. The person may feel that the death of their loved one was a “joke” or a “mistake.”

Message dreams

A common dream for many involves their loved one delivering a message or giving the dreamer a piece of advice. King shared that “this could reflect the dreamer’s internal dialogue or their desire for guidance.”

Reunion dreams

When a person interacts with the deceased person as if they were alive and in a normal setting it may mean that the dreamer wants to “reconnect with the person or the person’s continued presence in the dreamer’s subconscious,” said King.

Recommendations for coping with dreams about a deceased person

King and Pendergrass offer some strategies about how to cope with dreams about a dead person that are disturbing, triggering or in the event that the dreamer just needs to handle any feelings they may bring about. One way is to keep a journal of your dreams which can help you process the emotions you are dealing with. If you are experiencing significant distress King recommends seeking out professional help.

When dealing with grief, it is important to take care of yourself. That includes regular physical activity and performing mindfulness activities like breathing exercises and meditation. Additionally, maintaining a healthy diet and keeping a regular sleep schedule should be part of your self-care routine.