I’ve had dreams that I’ve never forgotten, including being chased down the street by Eddie Murphy.
There are equally vivid dreams that survivors of narcissistic abuse have after their long and painful ordeal.
These dreams are so common, they deserve a topic all by themselves. I’ll even go one step further and decode them for you, because trust me, all dreams have a meaning.
Let’s look at 12 common dreams survivors have after narcissistic abuse.
#1 Dreaming of the Narcissist
You’re back in a relationship with your abuser, and everything feels ‘normal.’
You are back to the usual dynamics, and it all feels so real. Whether you’re getting positive or emotional vibes from them in your dream is neither here nor there.
In truth, you get both in real life, but the negatives are obviously much more common.
They’re really there, for that fleeting moment of unconsciousness. You’re right back where you started, going through all the motions you did while you were together.
It’s everything you ‘ve been used to, and everything familiar.
Dream decoded: Dreams like this can reflect emotional trauma bonds or unfinished psychological processing.
New Guide
Most People Break No Contact Within Two Weeks. I Wrote a Guide That Shows You How Not To.
The exact steps, the exact scripts for when they come back, and an honest day-by-day guide through the first 30 days. 26 pages. Instant download.
Get the Playbook for $27 →PDF · Instant download · 30-day money back guarantee
You’re subconsciously trying to make sense of the abuse or reclaim a sense of control, and this is a way for that to help you through those processes.
#2 Being Chased
You’re constantly running from a faceless figure or the narcissist. It invokes fear within you, and you can never seem to run fast enough in your dream as they almost always catch up closer and closer to you.
It’s frightening to feel, and you panic and feel your heart race, even though it’s just a dream.
Dream decoded: This is classically how you can feel you may be avoiding unresolved feelings like fear, guilt, or shame.
Being chased also symbolizes how hard it was to escape the abuse mentally, even after leaving physically.
It takes time, and I think people can forget that. You still want to outrun a situation you’ve actually already left, but it takes time to mentally adjust to that freedom.
#3 Losing Your Voice
You try to scream or speak, but no sound comes out. No matter how much you try, no sound comes from you.
You’re wishing somebody could hear or understand you, and you keep trying, but no noise comes.
Dream decoded: Having this type of dream can be upsetting, and it symbolizes all those times that you felt silenced, invalidated, or powerless during the relationship.
It’s common for survivors who weren’t allowed to express themselves freely to have this dream.
You’re living an experience you’ve been so used to for so long, and it’s taking time to get into the past where it belongs. You do have a voice, and you must always remind yourself of that.
#4 Teeth Falling Out
Your teeth crumble or fall out while talking or eating. Sometimes, they just fall out for no reason at all, and you try to stop them, but the more you try, the more they fall out.
You can feel those holes in your mouth, and you panic wondering what caused it, and how to fix it.
Dream decoded: This classic anxiety dream may reflect a loss of confidence or self-worth.
This would have been caused by the narcissist’s gaslighting and devaluation tactics used often to break you further into small pieces.
#5 Trapped in a House
You dream that you’re lost or stuck in a dark, unfamiliar home. You try to look for doors or windows, but you can’t seem to find your way out.
Everything looks the same, and it makes you feel like you’re in some kind of maze.
Dream decoded: Houses in dreams like this often represent the self. You have felt trapped for so long in your relationship that you’ve struggled to even believe there’s a way out.
Feeling trapped can mean that you still feel mentally caught up in their control, even though you’re no longer together.
#6 Exposing the Narcissist
You finally confront or reveal the narcissist’s true nature to others. You are able to speak and let people know the truth, finally!
Dream decoded: Dreams like this can reflect the deep desire for justice and validation.
You also may want acknowledgement from people who didn’t believe or support you, and you may be more ready to talk about your experiences with the narcissist.
#7 The Narcissist Apologizing
In your dream, the narcissist says that they’re sorry and admit everything they did to you.
Dream decoded: Wouldn’t that be something! In fact, this is your mind’s way of trying to restore balance or gain closure from what you went through.
It’s particularly significant if you never received that apology in your waking life.
#8 Being Watched or Stalked
In an unnerving kind of dream, you can feel that you’re being watched, or that somebody is following you and won’t leave you alone.
Dream decoded: Hypervigilance is a common trauma response. This is the kind of dream that reflects how survivors often feel even after the relationship.
They feel like they’re always anticipating another attack on themselves, or a type of manipulation out of the blue. That constant feeling of always looking over your shoulder.
#9 Falling
There;s nothing more to it than feeling like you’re falling from a great height, and you wake up right before you land and make an impact.
Dream decoded: Dreams like this can represent a type of lack of control. Or feeling unstable or unsafe, like the ground below you is so rocky and jagged.
It’s common to feel this after narcissistic abuse because your entire reality was stripped from you. You need to now focus on learning to trust yourself again.
#10 Reuniting with a Lost Part of Yourself
You dream that you find a childhood photo, or that you hug your younger self. Perhaps you rediscover a talent you’ve kept locked away all these years.
Dream decoded: This is a powerful dream that indicates healing.
You’re finally beginning to reconnect with parts of your identity that were suppressed during your relationship with the narcissist,
or all those times you felt devalued by them. Now, they’re finding a way to resurface and show you that they never left you.
#11 Escaping Danger
Narrowly escaping a car crash or something else that may put you in real danger.
It feels like a close call, but you managed to get away from the scene without a scratch.
Dream decoded: What a reflection of your own survival and resilience. Although you were in danger, your subconscious is affirming to you that you made it out.
This is a real sign that you are moving forward and healing, and that you are safe again.
#12 Being Ignored or Abandoned
You dream that people you love walk away or don’t notice you. You wave your hands or try to get their attention, but it doesn’t work.
Dream decoded: These dreams echo the type of emotional neglect and invalidation that aligns with narcissistic abuse.
This is particularly if the narcissist frequently ghosted or gave you the silent treatment. You wanted to be heard and seen, but it was impossible for that to happen while in their presence.
