In the world of globalization, young individuals are competing for survival not just within community that they reside in but with youngsters across the globe. Their struggles are real and magnitude high. In this paper we explore how dreams support these young adults as they transition into higher education and negotiate the complex terrain of early adulthood. It focuses on dreams as a coping mechanism within the context of major life-stage changes. This is understood through Carl Gustav Jung's analytical psychology.
The study is anchored in the psychological challenges that accompany significant developmental shifts. This then often disrupts both the conscious and unconscious mind of the individual, influencing emotional regulation, behaviour, and inner conflict. By observing how young adults dream during these periods, the paper investigates how symbolic imagery and recurring patterns provide insight into their internal struggles and their evolving coping strategies. It also examines how these dream experiences, in turn, shape waking behaviour, emotional processing, and decision-making.
The research adopts an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA), incorporating both primary and secondary data. Primary data includes detailed dream diaries maintained by first-year graduation students, complemented by reflective notes, symbolic drawings, and expert interpretations. Depth interviews and self-reflective accounts help uncover the subjective meanings embedded in dream patterns. Secondary sources consist of scholarly works on dream analysis, trauma, and analytical psychology. The Gioia method is employed to systematically code and organize data, allowing for the emergence of coherent themes and theoretical insights.
Preliminary findings indicate that dreams offer a subconscious space for processing emotional overload and unresolved issues, especially when conscious coping mechanisms are insufficient. Ultimately, the study positions dream analysis as a valuable therapeutic and introspective tool, offering practitioners and scholars a nuanced framework for understanding trauma, emotional conflict, and psychological growth through the symbolic language of the unconscious mind.