On Dreaming, Parasomnia, Dream Enactment, and Murder

PEP Web's vast archive of psychoanalytic literature contains no articles on either parasomnia or dream enactment. There is no mention of violent parasomnias. Enriching dialogue is desirable between the study of these simultaneous sleep/wake states and the psychoanalytic investigation of dreams. This article illustrates how these fields of inquiry can be brought together to increase comprehension of significant phenomena. The concept of dream enactment bridges these disparate realms. A potential relationship between dreams of convenience and parasomnia is considered. These matters are insufficiently understood in mental health and legal disciplines, and in public discourse. Psychoanalytic perspectives on dreaming and dream enactment in sleep disorders have much to contribute to psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, sleep medicine, and the law.