Thus, we are left with an important insight provided by Freud. The rational and largely conceptual facilities of the human mind that are needed to initiate and direct actions serve as a starting point for the formulation of a dream. However, our psyche moves us backward given the potentially threatening nature of the (not-so-rational) thoughts and desires that linger near the edge of action.
This turning away from action leads the dreamer to regress from thoughts to more primitive imagery (found in our preconscious mind). Eventually we regress as dreamers to the enacted narrative of our dreams—often borrowing from our long-term stored memories. These vivid enactments are experienced as real, perceived events occurring in our waking life. And then we wake up to find ourselves perceiving and confronting a quite different reality . . .
Regression
As we look beyond Freud at the structure of a dream, an important place to begin, as Freud did, is with the so-called regression that takes place in the dream. Classically, three types of regression have been identified by those engaged in so-called psychoanalytic theory.
The first type of regression concerns the type of defense being mobilized when we are anxious or when unwanted thoughts and feelings emerge (A. Freud, 2018; Vaillant, 1977/1998). The least primitive defenses such as sublimination are mobilized when the anxiety is minimal, while more primitive defenses such as projection and repression gain traction when we are highly anxious or when major threats emerge in our thoughts and/or feelings.
The second type of regression concerns the nature of imagery that is swirling around in our head. A regressed image is often quite vivid, quite bizarre, and even “childlike.” Freud is likely to link these images to the oldest stored memories in his psychic apparatus. The Jungian theorist would suggest that our regressive images are likely to be linked to specific archetypal forms, such as the evil witch, the serpent, or the figure of a god or goddess.
The third type of regression concerns the source of an image at a specific time in our life. More regressive images are based on our early life experiences. Freud would refer to his graphic portrayal of the psychic apparatus and point to the earliest memories we have stored long-term. Some psychoanalysts would even suggest that we have regressive images that relate to our birth experiences or even experiences anchored in tribal or cultural experiences that are embedded in a collective unconscious or in unconscious experiences (usually traumatic) that reside in our specific society (Hooper and Weinberg, 2019).
All three forms of regression are to be found in our dreams. And studies of dream content reveal that our dreams tend to become increasingly regressed later in the night. While early night dreams tend to be rather “drab” in terms of the vividness of the dream imagery, late night dreams tend to be filled with color and drama. Deep archetypical dreams also tend to dwell in the late night.
The defensive structure of dreams also tends to regress from early night to late night. Our early night dreams tend to involve fairly “reasonable” expression of desires and needs, such as showing affection for someone in our life that we love. By contrast, our late-night dreams—that often wake us up—are more likely to involve major disguises and diversions, such as dreaming about a wolf or evil spirit that is attacking our long-deceased parent.
