Ketamine and the near-death experience.
Journal of Near-Death Studies 1984 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-1984-4-1-p87-96. (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine Near-death experience |
| Citations | 39 |
| Key findings | The phenomenology of near-death experiences closely parallels that of ketamine-induced experiences, and multiple explanatory models exist for this overlap. |
Abstract
The phenomenology that typically accompanies the near-death experience (NDE) is also sometimes a by-product of ketamine, an anesthetic used in both medical and recreational settings. Some surveys indicate that NDE-type ketamine hallucinations are quite common. The close parallels between some ketamine experiences and the NDE can be explained by a variety of conceptual models, including these: the NDE is a similar form of chemically induced hallucination; ketamine induces objective out-of-body experiences (OBEs); ketamine-linked NDEs are artifacts produced by expectancy and the hospital setting; or the NDE is an archetypal experience catalyzed under a variety of different situations. Each of these theories has explanatory advantages and disadvantages.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distressing Near-Death Experiences | 1992 | Review | |
| Attitude Change Following Near-Death Experiences Individuals who have had near-death experiences | 1980 | Review | n = 21 |
| Near-death experiences. | 2004 | Review | |
| The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences | 2009 | Review | |
| Near-death experiences in cardiac arrest survivors | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- A Review of the Nonmedical Use of Ketamine: Use, Users and Consequences Journal of Psychoactive Drugs December 1, 2000
- The Near-death Experience The British Journal of Psychiatry November 1, 1988
- Toward a Comparative Overview of Dependence Potential and Acute Toxicity of Psychoactive Substances Used Nonmedically The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 1993
- Childhood Near-Death Experiences Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine November 1, 1986
- Psychoactive Substances and Paranormal Phenomena: A Comprehensive Review International Journal of Transpersonal Studies 2012
and 9 more in the library