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Dreaming About Being Trapped- Symbolism and Meaning

One of the most terrifying dreams that you can experience is seeing yourself getting trapped in a situation or place you cannot escape from. Dreaming about being trapped can be a nightmare and it feels as though there’s no way of escaping.

These kinds of dreams tend to be terrifying, and we often wonder what these dreams mean and whether they would manifest in our lives.  In order to find answers to these disturbing questions, it’s crucial to understand why they occur in one’s subconscious mind in the first place.

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Dreams about being trapped can have several interpretations, mostly negative than positive. Here are some of the most popular interpretations.  

dreaming of feeling trapped

Types Of Dreams About Being Trapped

Dreaming of being trapped can be extremely unpleasant and can have many different meanings. The specifics surrounding the ream can also change the interpretation of the dream.

Dream of Feeling Trapped

In general, dreams of feeling trapped and unable to escape tend to indicate that you’re feeling trapped emotionally and physically. It could imply that you are caught in a difficult, restrictive, or even dangerous situation. Such dreams may be triggered by stress and frustrations in your waking life, and your subconscious mind is working on ways to help you feel free and unstuck.

Dream Of Being Trapped in The Middle of a Ravaging Fire

If you see yourself being engulfed by flames from all sides in the dream, it could mean that there is something causing anxiety in your waking life, and it’s likely that you have little or no control over this.

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Another interpretation of such a dream might also be that a person close to you is acting rashly without considering the consequences. You may be feeling stressed because you are unable to do anything to stop their actions.

Dream Of Being Trapped by an Evil Person

Dreaming of being kidnapped or trapped by a person with evil intentions is fairly common. If the person in your dream is someone you know, you may be having a bitter or problematic relationship with them. However, if the person a stranger, it might symbolize that you don’t feel comfortable with someone in your life.

Dream Of Being Stuck in An Earthquake

If you dream of yourself lying under the debris of an earthquake with no means of escape, it could mean that you’re living in an improper environment with people whom you cannot or should not trust. 

You may not realize it, but you may have a constant fear of the uncertain, and you might find that you are unable to confide in them. The fact that certain events may not be in your control could keep you constantly distressed. In this case, being trapped in an earthquake might be the direct psychological output of your mental discomfort.

Dreaming Of Your Friends/Family Being Trapped

Sometimes, people have dreams of their family members or friends who are trapped and calling out to them for help.  While they’re not necessarily premonitions of what may happen to that person, these dreams can be a message or signal that your loved one is facing some trouble or difficulty in their life. Dreams about other people being trapped can indicate that your loved ones are in trouble and that you might be able to help them out of it.

Dreaming of family or friends being trapped could also indicate how you feel about someone in your care. If you are taking care of someone, such as your parents or children, you may feel as though you’re not doing enough for them, which can lead to dreams about them being trapped.

Dreams about seeing other people trapped can also be a sign of degeneration or loss of the soul. Sometimes, people who encounter several obstacles in their life may say in exasperation that a piece of their soul has died. However, once they begin to move on with life, accept their fate, and slowly learn to live life to the fullest, it’s likely that they will feel whole again and will no longer see such dreams. 

Why You May Be Feeling Trapped

Circumstances that can trigger you to dream of being trapped could involve the following:

  • An unsatisfactory job
  • A wrong career choice
  • Parental/family issues
  • Tremendous work pressure
  • Difficulty balancing personal and professional life
  • An unstable romantic relationship or marital problems with a partner
  • Experience of a traumatic incident in the past

If you believe that something unpleasant in your life is triggering dreams of being trapped, finding out what these issues are can assist you in addressing them. If the dreams are recurring and impacts your quality of life, often because of low moods and sleep deprivation, speaking to a therapist may be beneficial.

If the dreams are not being triggered by a traumatic experience or distressful situations, there may be other reasons you’ve overlooked. It could be that you’re having a more negative outlook on life and the dreams are caused by the negative emotions you’re feeling. Making some simple lifestyle changes and having a positive outlook could help you encourage better dreams.

In Brief

Although dreams about being trapped can be traumatizing, they often occur as a result of the information stored in your subconscious mind. They’re most often a sign or a warning that something is not right in your waking life.

If you don’t have any personal freedom and feel out of control, you will likely be seeing more of these frightening dreams. They may be telling you that it’s time to take a step back and correct what is not quite right in your reality.

Affiliate Disclosures

Apsara Palit
Apsara Palit

After completing her post-grad in Values, Ethics and Indian Culture, Apsara is sharing her knowledge of symbolism, mythology, history and culture through her blogs. Apsara lives in India and believes in getting a first-hand understanding of culture through travelling.