The "near-death experience" during comas: psychotraumatic suffering or the taming of reality?
Medical Hypotheses September 1, 2013 Y Auxéméry
A near-death experience (NDE) is an atypical state of consciousness induced by the neuropsychological consequences of a passage near death. These experiences are not psychologically traumatic, never cause flashbacks, and can eliminate the fear of death. Listening to patients who have shared their NDEs has encouraged reevaluation of medical standards, positioning the patient at the center of management decisions. While resuscitation after neurological events risks serious sequelae or prolonged unconsciousness, studies have demonstrated neuronal activity in patients in prolonged comas. Medical teams treat such patients as subjects, speaking to them and about them, rather than acting as if they are not present.