Take an opossum's ability to play dead, for example. According to the blog Cool Astro, when you dream about opossums, it can be a way of "teaching you how to survive in stressful situations" and help you "prepare a strategy to become successful in life." If you're dealing with stressful instances in your waking life, dreaming of an opossum can also be a sign to step away from the situation and "let the dust settle," according to the website What Is My Spirit Animal. In a way, you're mimicking an opossum's way to process danger and react to it — just not by playing dead.

In keeping with the defensive theme, dreams of opossums can be a way for your subconscious to help you "develop a powerful defensive mechanism in your life" so you can "get rid of bad memories." This may also help you take stock of your relationships in waking life so you can figure out which ones aren't beneficial to your mental health.