Freud's Dream Work

Freud’s Dream Work refers to the mental processes that transform the unconscious desires and thoughts into the symbolic and often disguised images we experience as dreams. This involves mechanisms like condensation (combining multiple ideas into one symbol), displacement (shifting emotional significance from important to trivial details), and symbolization (using symbols to represent hidden wishes). These processes allow the unconscious material to be expressed indirectly, protecting the sleeper from psychological distress while revealing underlying conflicts or desires that may be explored for psychological insight.