مریم صغیری

The aim of this research is to phenomenologically investigate the dreams and narrative identity of women with dysthymia. For this purpose, ۵ samples of women with dysthymia were selected using the convenience sampling method. Their dreams were recorded for an average of one week, immediately after waking up for about half an hour and were analyzed through textual conversation. In the next stage, the participants took part in a semi-structured interview on narrative identity, and the findings were coded and analyzed using ATLAS.ti software.

The results of this study indicate that, according to the lived experiences and narrative identity of the participants, the identity they experience in their real lives is also repeated in their dreams. In this research, for the analysis, codes were initially divided into two main categories: individual and social. In the individual category, "moving upwards," "moving downwards," "self-protection," and in the social category, "power," "gender," and "social membership" were identified. In the individual category, "moving downwards" had the highest repetition weight in dreams, and in narrative identity, "low self-esteem," "self-harming behaviors," "vulnerability," and "cognitive neglect" were among the common codes between dreams and narrative identity of the participants. On the other hand, "women's oppression," "Electra complex," "social exclusion," and "parental separation" were among the common social factors in the dreams and narrative identity of the participants.

In conclusion, this research ultimately believes that narrative identity is reflected in dreams almost like a mirror. This phenomenon suggests that dreams act as an opportunity to address issues that we cannot address in our daily lives. Furthermore, this study also provides important insights that can contribute to a better understanding and better interventions in the treatment of depression in women. Among these points is the need to pay attention to individual and social factors in understanding depression, as well as the dreams of individuals with depressive moods. Additionally, this study emphasizes the importance of awareness of the subtexts of dreams and their role in bringing about changes in narrative identity.

In the end, this research is presented as a preliminary stage on the path to a deeper understanding of dreams and dysthymia and how they affect the narrative identity of individuals. It strives to delve deeper into these aspects and find ways to improve the conditions of individuals with depressive moods.