Dreaming of Fleas – Meaning and Symbolism

Fleas are nasty little critters that evoke disgust instantly the minute you think of them – especially if you imagine they are jumping all over you and biting you. It is no wonder that we have such an aversion to these tiny jumping insects. Not only are they pesky, but historically fleas have been carriers of deadly diseases such as spotted fever and even the black plague.

Since fleas are (unfortunately) a common occurrence around the world, they don’t just find a way into our homes – but into our dreams as well.

There is an increased chance you will dream of fleas if you actually have pets and have to worry about preventing fleas in real life. Chronic fears often find ways into our dreams. But, there is more to it. Even if you don’t have pets, fleas and humans have interacted for so long that their image is deeply embedded into our collective Unconscious.

Such long-standing images and figures nearly always have some sort of deeper dream meaning.

Today, we’ll discover the meaning behind flea-infested dreams.

Let’s jump at it!

Fleas as Insects

First, we have to consider the broader dream meaning of what fleas really are – insects.

Since they are small and sometimes annoying crawlers, insects in dreams often represent the little problems in daily life. However, as with real insects and especially parasites like fleas, these seemingly small problems can multiply to the point of overwhelming you.

Of course, in your waking life, other people certainly cause more trouble than insects. You may know Sartre’s somewhat misinterpreted quote, “Hell is other people.” That is why, in dreams, insects can symbolize your fear and disdain for others, as well as the harm and the petty malice you expect from them.

However, to figure out the exact meaning of dream fleas, we need to look more closely at other traits of real-life fleas and the feelings they provoke.

Flea Dream Meanings – External Messages

While not quite under your skin, fleas certainly lay close to your body at all times and pierce the skin to feed. When feeding, they cause itch, frustration, anger, and instant willingness to destroy. In short, they are a particularly annoying type of insect, ad the annoyance can strike close to heart and home.

Now, let’s translate this to human relationships.

Dreaming of fleas and flea bites can mean that you are being (or will be) betrayed by somebody close to you. Perhaps this person will provoke you or manipulate you into anger or revenge. Perhaps false friends will “jump around,” spreading rumors that make you look bad in the eyes of others, leading to your frustration and resentment.

According to Martha Clarke, to dream of being invaded by fleas can indicate “guilt, envy, losses, and obstacles,” and, as said priorly, are particularly revealing about possible gossiping.

If you are catching fleas in your dreams, or at least you are trying to, it can indicate the need to rearrange your life and get it in order. To kill the fleas can indicate you are coming to terms with multiple problems at the same time.

Getting bitten by fleas can indicate an issue with your earnings by “having your blood sucked out of you.”

Flea dream meanings – internal messages

Fleas and other biting insects can also be related to real-life anxiety. Remember, the most horrible thing about being aware of fleas on you or near you is that suspense while expecting them to bite. The anticipation and the wait for the seemingly inevitable damage, often coming from invisible threats, is what anxiety is all about. If you are not troubled by real-world relationships with other people and still dream of fleas, ask yourself if you have been anxious and why.

Also, dream insects, in general, can represent your internal repressed desires and impulses – and these can be the cause of your anxiety. The constant fear of oppression because of your needs and feelings will cause a person to repress them, and they will come back with revenge, biting – at first in your unconscious mind. If you come to the point that these desire symbols are biting you in your dream, you better take care of them in real life before damage occurs.

According to Complete Idiot’s Guide Dream Dictionary, if you find fleas on your body in your dream, that carries a personal health and wellbeing-related message. Since fleas are connected to disease and poor bodily state in general, maybe these dream fleas are trying to tell you something about your health. Perhaps your immune system is not in top condition and has problems with fighting off the pathogenic invaders. You cannot see them, but they are doing the damage anyway. If you feel like this, perhaps it’s the time for that yearly check-up you’ve been avoiding.

You may also commonly dream that your pet has fleas and (or) that they have spread inside your home. The meaning of this dream could be that you have intruders in your life, that “some small, but insidious influences have invaded your home,” as the authors elegantly put it.

Conclusion

Despite being tiny in real life, insects, in general, can be powerful message carriers in the dream realm. Fleas are no exception. The fact that they are tiny, quick to jump around, that they bite and suck blood and cause itch – all of these traits can be translated to the troubles and frustrations of your waking hours.

Traditionally, the flea dream image is related to mishaps with other people, such as gossiping, backstabbing by friends or other close people, frustration, and loss of trust.

However, fleas in dreams can also signify deeply personal problems – with anxiety, repressed emotional content, or even physical health.

The deeper overall implication is that dreaming of fleas, especially when repetitive, is a chance and a message to look at relationships with the people close to you, but also with the closest person you have – yourself.