Bathroom Dream Meaning and Symbolism

Bathroom Dream Meaning

Dreaming of a bathroom might seem weird, but it is actually very common. Even if the imagery of your bathroom dream is a little gross, it is nothing to be ashamed of.

Though a bathroom dream might just reflect your physical needs, it can also have important symbolic meaning.

Bathroom Dream Summary

Bathroom Dream Symbolism

Dreams often reflect your routine daily activities. Most people go to the bathroom multiple times a day, so it makes sense that that activity would make its way into your dreams now and then.

As routine as going to the bathroom is, though, a lot of people find it embarrassing. A dream of a bathroom can therefore symbolize that you feel self-conscious. You may be worried that people know something about you that you would prefer to keep private.

A bathroom dream can also symbolize that you need to release emotions, much like you would release urine or feces in a real bathroom.

Common Bathroom Dreams

  1. Dream of a dirty bathroom
  2. Dream of bathroom stalls
  3. Dream of a toilet without doors
  4. Dream of the opposite sex’s bathroom
  5. Dream of taking a bath or shower

Bathroom Dream Symbolism

Bathroom Dream Symbolism

Physical Needs

You might dream about going to the bathroom if you actually physically need to go to the bathroom. This will generally be obvious when you wake up with an urge to pee or poop. In this type of dream about going to the bathroom, you may be looking for a bathroom but unable to find one that you can use.

Emotional Repression or Release

You might dream about going to the bathroom if you have a lot of emotions that you don’t feel comfortable expressing in your waking life. If you are looking for a toilet and unable to find one, this may symbolize that your environment doesn’t seem like a supportive place for you to open up about your emotional needs. However, dreaming of the release of peeing or pooping could symbolize that you are finding a way to let things go.

Embarrassment

Going to the bathroom is usually a private act. A dream of going to the bathroom where others can see you can symbolize that you feel self-conscious around others. You may feel embarrassed because you think others know things about you that you would prefer to keep private.

Common Bathroom Dreams

Dream of a dirty bathroom

Dream of a dirty bathroom

Dreaming of a dirty bathroom could symbolize that you feel shame about your physical or emotional needs. If the bathroom is already dirty with urine or feces, this could symbolize that your past attempts to express yourself have not worked out well, so you have reason to be afraid of trying again.

If blood is involved in the dirty bathroom scene in your dream, this could symbolize that your menstrual period, or that of someone else in your life, is coming soon.

Dream of bathroom stalls

Dream of bathroom stalls

Dreaming of bathroom stalls could symbolize that you have an organized way of meeting even your more difficult needs, much like bathroom stalls are society’s organized way of dealing with the reality that people need to go to the bathroom.

However, some dreams of bathroom stalls don’t make it so easy. If you get into the bathroom stall in your dream and find something other than the functioning toilet you expect inside, this could symbolize that you feel like you can’t trust society to meet your needs.

Dream of a toilet without doors

Dream of a toilet without doors

Dreams about going to the bathroom in public are often about a fear that others will discover something about you that you prefer to keep hidden. Dreaming of using a toilet without doors could symbolize that you feel exposed. See also poop dream symbolism.

If you are the only person having to use a toilet without doors in your dream, while others can see you, this might show that you feel singled out for scrutiny. You may even feel humiliated by some situation in your life.

However, if you are one of multiple people in the same situation in your dream, where you can all see each other using the toilet, this could potentially be a positive sign that you are on an equal footing with others in your life. You might be developing emotional intimacy with a significant person or group of people. If the dream feels uncomfortable, though, it might be a sign that your relationship is moving too deep, too fast.

Dream of the opposite sex’s bathroom

Dream of the opposite sex’s bathroom

Public restrooms are often separated by sex. Dreaming about the men’s restroom if you are a woman, or dreaming about the women’s restroom if you are a man, could symbolize that you are curious about something that is forbidden to you.

Dreaming of the opposite sex’s bathroom might be in the same category as a dream of eating something normally forbidden from your diet, or a dream about being sexually intimate with a partner of a gender you wouldn’t normally consider. Such dreams are often more about the general idea of breaking boundaries or questioning things you take for granted than they are about the specific thing that was shocking in your dream.

If you are on a journey of questioning your gender, a dream about trying to determine which bathroom to use could certainly reflect challenges you are dealing with in your waking life. A dream like this by itself does not necessarily mean you are questioning your gender, though.

Dream of taking a bath or shower

Dream of taking a bath or shower

Sometimes bathroom is not just a euphemism for toilet – it can also refer to actually taking a bath. Dreams about bathing or showering can symbolize cleansing. They may also symbolize vulnerability, as you are generally naked when you bathe or shower. See also shower dream symbolism.

Conclusion

Even if there is an obvious physical need provoking your dream of going to the bathroom, that need can trigger broader feelings of vulnerability. Your bathroom dream may therefore show how successfully you are able to get your physical and emotional needs met.