The interpretation of dreams is a subject as complex as it is exciting. No one can tell you exactly what their interpretation will be, but there are keys and codes we can use to help better understand what they might mean. Common themes and imagery are one of the most helpful ways to interpret our dreams. These can come in many forms, whether it is a situation, an action or even an animal. Worms are a common appearance in dreams because their symbolism is particularly potent.
At oneHOWTO, we help you understand what does it mean to dream about worms? To do this, we look at different types of worm dreams, as well as the context in which the dream might occur.
Dreaming of worms in your body
As the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, pointed out in his work The Interpretation of Dreams, what we dream is a representation of what happens in the subconscious. Our dreams are loaded with symbolism that can range from repressed longings or desires, to our most deep-seated worries and fears. One of the most recurrent nightmares are dreams where worms, maggots or caterpillars appear.
Dreaming of worms in your mouth
Dreaming of worms in your mouth is disconcerting and can feel like agony in the dream, leading to terror when you wake. Dreaming of worms in or coming out of your mouth is usually a symbol of deep inner turmoil. It could be that something is worrying you, but you aren't even sure what it is.
Other interpretations suggest that the worms in the mouth can refer to remorse for some action or perceived slight. It could be due to something you have said and you should have kept quiet. For this reason, worms can often represent a sense of guilt in our dreams.
Sometimes the worms come out of your mouth, but in a slow way. It can often be, curiously, in a pleasant and calm environment. In these cases, the worms coming out can symbolize a process of change or growing creativity, something that is usually very positive.
Dreaming of worms that come out of the skin
Especially if it is a recurring dream, worms on the skin can indicate that you are dissatisfied and that you know that you must change a situation that is not going well for you. The problem may be in relationships with your partner or with another person close to you, but it can also be a bad economic situation. In any case, the dream signals that there is something that worries you and that is affecting your life. The good news is that it also indicates that it is within your power to change the situation.
Dreaming of worms in your head
If you dream of worms in your head, your rest will probably be disturbed. You may even unconsciously make movements with your hands to try to remove the worms from your hair, although you won't notice until you wake up. This is likely to represent an idea in your mind which is plaguing you. It doesn't have to be guilt or remorse. It could be a problem which you should be able to solve, but are unable to for whatever reason.
These problems could be related to work or your finances. However, they may also be due to more existential or philosophical problems you are facing. Think about what might be concerning you the most and address the problem as directly as possible.
Dreaming of worms in your hand
There are different interpretations of this particular dream. It is said that dreaming of having a worm that move through your hands is something which can be interpreted using palmistry. Through this medium, it is usually related to moving forward in your life.
However, it could also mean the opposite or that you have a need to move forward. If the worms are wriggling in your hands, but not going anywhere, maybe there is some stagnation in your life? If the worms are particularly disgusting, then this is likely. Maybe your relationship has gone sour, your professional life has halted or you just generally aren't progressing as a person.
Dreaming of worms in food
In our conscious life, if we see worms in our food, it means it has seriously gone off and it is dangerous. Worms in food are a sign of decay or being rotten. Rather than our lives being simply stagnant, there might be something which is caustic and detrimental to our lives. We might have an abusive or negligent partner, our job might be affecting our mental health or we have other relationships which are bringing us down.
Worms in food can also symbolize something about our own behaviors. Maybe we are the ones behaving negatively in a relationship (something which hurts both parties) or maybe we are drinking too much, doing drugs or eating unhealthily. In these cases, dreaming of worms in food should give us an opportunity to reassess, looking both outward and inward.
Worms are not the only creature which can cause us worry in dreams, something we discuss in these articles on dreaming about spiders and what it means to dream about scorpions.
Dreaming of black or white worms
Colors are particularly meaningful in dreams. Since black and white often represents opposites or two sides of the same coin, they are some of the most potent colors in terms of dream interpretation.
Dreaming of black worms
Blackness in dreams can often represent dark themes, being often associated with dreaming of death. It could mean you are feeling depressed or generally having pessimistic thoughts. These are periods we often go through and it can mean we should open up and talk to people around us. Black worms can seem particularly sinister. Not only does it appear as if things are bad, but it can appear as if there doesn't seem like there is any hope. If this is the case, you may need to talk to a mental health professional.
However, blackness doesn't always mean sadness in dreams. It can also be something beautiful or simply represent change. Look at the context of when the worms appear and think about what it could mean for you.
Dreaming of white worms
Dreaming of white worms does not always have to do with bad memories or omens, especially if it comes from dreams with caterpillars and they transform into a beautiful butterfly. In these cases, the dream speaks of metamorphosis and of positive changes. This can be a new romantic partner or simply positive personal development.
However, white worms can also be signs of decay, especially if they look like maggots. If you have dreams of white worms, it could be that you are deteriorating in some way emotionally or even physically.
Dreaming of worms in the trash
The dreamlike vision of a garbage can with worms is one of the most disturbing and unpleasant nightmares that you can suffer. Dirt, rot and waste mean, in our dream, that something negative is affecting us and that we must get rid of it.
Perhaps the nightmare of the garbage worms refers to that we give too much importance to the opinions or comments of others. This is something that often causes us unhappiness. It can also mean that we have too many projects on the go at one and it is causing us frustration. When these worries build up, they can infect all different aspects of our lives, like maggots in a garbage can.
If you want to read similar articles to What Does It Mean to Dream About Worms?, we recommend you visit our Culture & Society category.