I tend to have many dreams where I am not myself, but rather another person or fictional character, as often as not a male character (once even a cartoon character). Occasionally it will happen that I change from myself to a new character in the middle of the dream. Almost every one of these dreams is a chasing dream, where my character is being chased and must out-wit or run great distances. Also, I can be either the main character or watch from a third-person view, like a camera - it flips back and forth without my conscious control. Does the context of the dream in this case matter in the interpretation, or is the most significant part the fact that I myself am not the principle actor, and if so, what does it mean?

-Lisa, Age 23, Champaign, IL, USA

Hi Lisa -

It is interesting how you revolve through so many “leading role” characters in your dreams, and that they are represented so literally. That is, you don’t just “feel” like you are a different person in your dreams - say, for example, a secret agent - as you are evading attack. According to your dream report, you actually become one - and perhaps even one of a different sex - if that is what the scene requires. In extreme cases, you have even become a cartoon character! (Were super-human abilities required?)

Alternation of personas in dreams is unusual - though I believe your dreams are simply reflecting the alternation of “masks” that we all wear - to some extent - in our daily lives. You ask in your dream report if the context of these dreams matters - or if the alternating personas is more important. I believe the two are inextricably linked. As you yourself point out, you only ever have these dreams when you are being chased or pursued. In this sense, your dreams are reflecting some of the coping strategies (alternating personas) that you adopt when you are under stress or in danger.

To understand this idea of “adopting a persona” better, consider a young kid on a basketball court, imagining in his mind that he is Michael Jordan. He hears the crowd roar while his eyes seek a route past a team of invisible opponents. On his way to the basket, as his imagination soars, for one glorious second he actually becomes Michael Jordan, leaping four feet into the air for yet another stunning score.

I don’t think the adoption of personas in your dreams is really much different. In a situation of stress (being chased), you are identifying with a role model (secret agent man, cartoon character) who represents your idea of the best way to respond to the situation. What is different, and which I sense may be a problem for you - is that this adoption process - which is related to stress - may not be under as much conscious control as you would like.

If you are observant, you can watch the alternation of personas in other people, and in yourself, in your everyday life. We all have different personas for work, for home, for socializing, for intimacy, etc. The difference between psychologically mature and immature personalities, however, is the degree to which we “fall”into these personas without any conscious awareness that we are doing so, and also the extent to which the various personas are consistent and harmonious with each other.

Your e-mail address indicates that you are a student of psychology. I suggest that you may want to make a practice of observing your own reactions - your own coping skills - when you are in stressful situations. If you find yourself starting to shift into an “alter-personality” mood, try to bring the reins in on the process and stay centered in yourself. Try not to “fall” off the delicate perch of self-observation.

As you progress in this process of self-observation, I will be interested to hear if your dreams don’t change as well. As your own personality becomes increasingly unified and confident, I do not believe that you will react to stress in your dreams, or in your waking life, in the same fashion. Your persona will remain constant in your dreams, and you will increasingly manage your stresses and fears without resort to alter personalities.