10 Common Nightmares (And What They Actually Mean)

5. Feeling Trapped Or Caught

One of the most terrifying kinds of dreams possible, a nightmare of being trapped or caught can be hugely distressing to the dreamer, creating a panic which can have serious physiological effects inside of the dream - not to mention what happens when you exit it and awaken. Heart pumping, panting, feeling scared - everyone's had at least one truly terrifying, heart-in-the-mouth moment of a dream where you feel like the walls are closing in either metaphorically or literally, and they are an absolute nightmare. What It Means... Dreams where we find ourselves captured or trapped often emerge as the result of a feeling of feeling stuck in the real world: a situation we wish to escape, such as a bad job, crumbling relationship or toxic friendship. This feeling of being trapped leaks into the dream, forcing you into a physical representation of your fears about being trapped. These dreams can also emerge in those of suffering from severe claustrophobia (an intense fear of being in enclosed, tight spaces), but these dreams are more of a straight-forward fear-based dream, rather than representative of any underlying psychological cause.