What It Really Means When You Dream About Being Strangled

Waking from a dream about being strangled is one of those moments that leaves us sitting up in bed, gasping for air, as the relief of "it was only a dream" slowly dawns on us. And as frightening as these nightmares may be, it turns out they are quite common. So why on Earth are so many of us having the same type of horrible dreams in which someone's hands clench around our throats while we fight for our lives? Like most imagery in dreams, it is, of course, metaphorical.

Unconscious intelligence expert Michael R. Olsen says on his website that if you dream of being strangled, you are likely limiting yourself in some vital way that is, in essence, cutting off your figurative air supply. He says it is "a very clear indication that you in a some way [sic] — in what you say, think or do — limit yourself in a way that is 'killing you' (that is to say mentally, because you lack vitality)." In other words, just as you might feel suffocated by a job or person or other type of stress or responsibility, you may dream about literal strangulation. "There are numerous things — within yourself and in your surroundings — that can 'strangle' you and prevent you from unfolding and developing," Olsen explained.

Whatdreamsmeans.com gives a similar explanation, though it also makes the distinction between being strangled and doing the strangling. While both sources say that it is symbolic of being repressed or limited in some way, this resource says that if you dream of being strangled, you are feeling difficulty in expressing and speaking out and dealing openly with your emotions or inner struggle. On the other hand, to dream of strangling another person is, interestingly, still about you: It likely indicates you are intentionally trying to stifle your own emotions or to get a handle on a part of yourself that feels out of control or about to betray your inner feelings or thoughts to others.

It's likely safe to say, in this case, that if you are dreaming about strangulation, it may be worth taking a little time to yourself to hash out if there is any place in your life where you are feeling unable to fully express yourself or wholeheartedly grow in a direction you wish to.