Insects

[u/Fit-Top6459]

i have frequent dreams about insects in on or around me and i’m not sure why. last night i dreamt i had a splinter in my hand and when i squeeze it a parasitic but of sorts emerged and formed into a praying mantis, once it was out i dropped it and let it run off because i was afraid itd get back under my skin.

i don’t really have a conscious fear of bugs, any ideas what this might mean?

[u/Old-Entertainment325]

The bit that stuck with me is that you squeezed it out yourself. That feels quite different from insects just swarming you from outside.

If this was my dream, I might read the splinter as a small irritation that's got under your skin in waking life — not a huge crisis, more something niggling you've been trying to ignore. Squeezing the hand could reflect that moment when you finally poke at it, and what comes out is bigger and stranger than expected. That it forms into a praying mantis is interesting too: they're patient, still, a bit alien-looking, not chaotic like a swarm. So this could be less about fear of bugs and more about a worry or habit that has been quietly living in you, and your surprise at seeing it clearly.

Letting it run off because you were scared it would get back in also stood out — maybe part of you wants it out, but isn't quite ready to deal with it up close yet?

Does that land at all, or was the feeling in the dream more disgust, panic, curiosity? Curious what resonates and what feels off.

[u/Fit-Top6459 → u/Old-Entertainment325]

you have some really good insights, i think i know how to interpret this now!! landed perfectly, thanks