What It Really Means When You Dream About Strangers

Been dreaming about strangers recently? Maybe they're trying to get into your house, or maybe they're occupying half of a relationship — partner or best friend — that's usually filled by someone you know and love. Dreams about strangers are common. In fact, according to Psychology Today, a whopping 50 to 80 percent of the people in our dreams are ones we've never met. The key to interpreting them isn't to think about who these strangers are. It's to think about who you are.

Dream expert Jesamine notes on her blog, "Strangers in our dreams are actually images for the unknown –  the strange – parts of our own personalities" (via Real Dream Interpretation). These strangers are often "shadow figures," who are showing us "everything we have rejected, denied, or never knew about ourselves." So pay attention to how you feel about these strangers. Are you afraid of them? Do they excite you? Do you hate them? They might be trying to teach you something new about yourself. 

If the strangers in your dream are your new best friend, notice what you're drawn to about that person. They might have qualities that you've been looking for in your own life. If you're dreaming of people breaking into your house, they may represent the thoughts and feelings you've been trying to keep out of your brain. If you're dreaming about a lover you don't know in real life, that qualities of that person may represent the qualities in yourself to which you feel most connected. 

You might want to pay attention to the strangers' sex. Neuroscientist Patrick McNamara noted that most dream strangers are male. And these male strangers may represent your inner aggressive impulses (via Psychology Today). In other words, they might be teaching you about your own darker feelings. Female dream strangers, on the other hand, are more likely to be friendly with less aggression or confrontation. 

According to Everyday Health, dreaming about having sex with a stranger could mean a couple things. For one, it could indicate the qualities that you want in a future partner or the ones you're looking for in your current partner. Alternately, your subconscious could be trying to tell you about a hidden talent you have. So pay attention to those dream strangers, because have something to teach you — they're trying to introduce you to the stranger in you.