I believe that dreaming is a way for our minds to process subconsciously those issues that are too much for our conscious mind to handle, acting as a safety mechanism preventing us from snapping and becoming crazy.
The gauge that I use to see what current issues I need to sort out in my life is what are the contents of my dreams and nightmares.
Thank God for lucid dreams.
I have always had the ability to know when I am dreaming during my dream and remembering them a few hours afters of waking up.
Because of this, I am able to decipher what my subconscious mind is trying to impart gently on my conscious mind, thus making the harshness of those concepts softer, making it easier for my conscious mind to process.
I know I sound crazy when I talk about these stuff, but I guess me knowing that these sound crazy proves the point that I am far for being crazy.
I´m just happy that I am lucky enough to have a mind that wanders way way way outside the box.