Near-death experiences in non-life-threatening events and coma of different etiologies

Abstract

Background: Near death experiences (NDEs) are increasingly being reported as a clearly identifiable physiological and psychological reality of clinical significance. However, the definition and causes of the phenomenon as well as the identification of NDE experiencers is still a matter of debate. To date, the most widely used standardized tool to identify and characterize NDEs in research is the Greyson NDE scale. Using this scale, retrospective and prospective studies have been trying to estimate their incidence in various populations but few studies have attempted to associate the experiences' intensity and content to etiology.Methods: This retrospective investigation assessed the intensity and the most frequently recounted features of self-reported NDEs after a non-life-threatening event (i.e., “NDE-like” experience) or after a pathological coma (i.e., “real NDE”) and according to the etiology of the acute brain insult. We also compared our retrospectively acquired data in anoxic coma with historical data from the published literature on prospective post-anoxic studies using the Greyson NDE scale.Results: From our 190 reports who met the criteria for NDE (i.e., Greyson NDE scale total score >7/32), intensity (i.e., Greyson NDE scale total score) and content (i.e., Greyson NDE scale features) did not differ between “NDE-like” (n = 50) and “real NDE” (n = 140) groups, nor within the “real NDE” group depending on the cause of coma (anoxic/traumatic/other). The most frequently reported feature was peacefulness (89–93%). Only 2 patients (1%) recounted a negative experience. The overall NDE core features' frequencies were higher in our retrospective anoxic cohort when compared to historical published prospective data.Conclusions: It appears that “real NDEs” after coma of different etiologies are similar to “NDE-like” experiences occurring after non-life threatening events. Subjects reporting NDEs retrospectively tend to have experienced a different content compared to the prospective experiencers.

Losing the Self in Near-Death Experiences: The Experience of Ego-Dissolution

“…We observed that both groups of experiences did not differ in terms of richness of the experience. This is consistent with our previous studies (e.g., [ 6 , 7 , 39 ]). Moreover, no difference was observed between their experience of ego dissolution and inflation.…”

“…OBEs are reported here by 87% of the sample of experiencers. This is consistent with the literature indicating that OBE is the second most commonly encountered feature in NDEs (i.e., about 80%; [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]). As expected, we found that the more intense the OBE, the more intense the experience of ego dissolution (r = 0.44).…”

Losing the Self in Near-Death Experiences: The Experience of Ego-Dissolution

“…We observed that both groups of experiences did not differ in terms of richness of the experience. This is consistent with our previous studies (e.g., [ 6 , 7 , 39 ]). Moreover, no difference was observed between their experience of ego dissolution and inflation.…”

“…OBEs are reported here by 87% of the sample of experiencers. This is consistent with the literature indicating that OBE is the second most commonly encountered feature in NDEs (i.e., about 80%; [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]). As expected, we found that the more intense the OBE, the more intense the experience of ego dissolution (r = 0.44).…”

Temporality of Features in Near-Death Experience Narratives

“…Ultimately, the most significant features (i.e., occurring > 50%) identified in the present work include Feeling of peace, Seeing a bright light, Encountering with spirits/people and OBE. Based on the present results –and consistent with previous literature (e.g., Greyson, 2003 ; Lai et al, 2007 ; Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ), it appears that no NDE feature is universal in its occurrence.…”

“…Firstly, our findings replicate previous research that has observed the feeling of peacefulness as the most frequently encountered feature during NDEs and precognitive visions as the less frequently encountered ( Greyson, 1990 , 2003 ; Zhi-ying and Jian-xun, 1992 ; Pacciolla, 1996 ; Schwaninger et al, 2002 ; Lai et al, 2007 ; Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ). Our results diverge, however, on the second most reported feature, which is Seeing a bright light in the present study.…”

Self-reported near-death and near-death-like experiences in a Chinese online sample: an exploratory mixed-methods study

“…Bright light, bodily sensations, out-of-body experiences, emotional changes, and fantastical experiences were also reported in NDE-like narratives. This overlap is consistent with previous research showing that NDE-like experiences can occur in non-life-threatening contexts, including syncope, meditation, sleep-related states, and other altered states of consciousness ( Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ; Woollacott et al, 2024 ). Therefore, the presence of individual NDE-like features alone is not sufficient to establish a clinically verified NDE, especially in online self-report data.…”

Losing the Self in Near-Death Experiences: The Experience of Ego-Dissolution

“…We observed that both groups of experiences did not differ in terms of richness of the experience. This is consistent with our previous studies (e.g., [ 6 , 7 , 39 ]). Moreover, no difference was observed between their experience of ego dissolution and inflation.…”

“…OBEs are reported here by 87% of the sample of experiencers. This is consistent with the literature indicating that OBE is the second most commonly encountered feature in NDEs (i.e., about 80%; [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]). As expected, we found that the more intense the OBE, the more intense the experience of ego dissolution (r = 0.44).…”

Temporality of Features in Near-Death Experience Narratives

“…Ultimately, the most significant features (i.e., occurring > 50%) identified in the present work include Feeling of peace, Seeing a bright light, Encountering with spirits/people and OBE. Based on the present results –and consistent with previous literature (e.g., Greyson, 2003 ; Lai et al, 2007 ; Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ), it appears that no NDE feature is universal in its occurrence.…”

“…Firstly, our findings replicate previous research that has observed the feeling of peacefulness as the most frequently encountered feature during NDEs and precognitive visions as the less frequently encountered ( Greyson, 1990 , 2003 ; Zhi-ying and Jian-xun, 1992 ; Pacciolla, 1996 ; Schwaninger et al, 2002 ; Lai et al, 2007 ; Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ). Our results diverge, however, on the second most reported feature, which is Seeing a bright light in the present study.…”

Self-reported near-death and near-death-like experiences in a Chinese online sample: an exploratory mixed-methods study

“…Bright light, bodily sensations, out-of-body experiences, emotional changes, and fantastical experiences were also reported in NDE-like narratives. This overlap is consistent with previous research showing that NDE-like experiences can occur in non-life-threatening contexts, including syncope, meditation, sleep-related states, and other altered states of consciousness ( Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ; Woollacott et al, 2024 ). Therefore, the presence of individual NDE-like features alone is not sufficient to establish a clinically verified NDE, especially in online self-report data.…”

Losing the Self in Near-Death Experiences: The Experience of Ego-Dissolution

“…We observed that both groups of experiences did not differ in terms of richness of the experience. This is consistent with our previous studies (e.g., [ 6 , 7 , 39 ]). Moreover, no difference was observed between their experience of ego dissolution and inflation.…”

“…OBEs are reported here by 87% of the sample of experiencers. This is consistent with the literature indicating that OBE is the second most commonly encountered feature in NDEs (i.e., about 80%; [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]). As expected, we found that the more intense the OBE, the more intense the experience of ego dissolution (r = 0.44).…”

Temporality of Features in Near-Death Experience Narratives

“…Ultimately, the most significant features (i.e., occurring > 50%) identified in the present work include Feeling of peace, Seeing a bright light, Encountering with spirits/people and OBE. Based on the present results –and consistent with previous literature (e.g., Greyson, 2003 ; Lai et al, 2007 ; Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ), it appears that no NDE feature is universal in its occurrence.…”

“…Firstly, our findings replicate previous research that has observed the feeling of peacefulness as the most frequently encountered feature during NDEs and precognitive visions as the less frequently encountered ( Greyson, 1990 , 2003 ; Zhi-ying and Jian-xun, 1992 ; Pacciolla, 1996 ; Schwaninger et al, 2002 ; Lai et al, 2007 ; Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ). Our results diverge, however, on the second most reported feature, which is Seeing a bright light in the present study.…”

Self-reported near-death and near-death-like experiences in a Chinese online sample: an exploratory mixed-methods study

“…Bright light, bodily sensations, out-of-body experiences, emotional changes, and fantastical experiences were also reported in NDE-like narratives. This overlap is consistent with previous research showing that NDE-like experiences can occur in non-life-threatening contexts, including syncope, meditation, sleep-related states, and other altered states of consciousness ( Charland-Verville et al, 2014 ; Woollacott et al, 2024 ). Therefore, the presence of individual NDE-like features alone is not sufficient to establish a clinically verified NDE, especially in online self-report data.…”