Near‐Death Experiences and Attempted Suicide
Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior March 1, 1981 DOI: 10.1111/j.1943-278x.1981.tb00995.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Keywords | Medical emergency |
| Citations | 55 |
| Key findings | Serious suicide attempts followed by transcendental near-death experiences may decrease subsequent overt suicide risk, contrary to the typical increased risk after attempted suicide. |
Abstract
Attempted suicide is correlated with an increase subsequent risk of committed suicide. However, preliminary data and psychodynamic hypotheses suggest that serious suicide attempts followed by transcendental near-death experiences (NDEs) may decrease rather than increase subsequent overt suicide risk, despite the NDEs' apparent "romanticization" of death. Studies of NDEs and of their influence on suicidal ideation are proposed which may yield greater understanding of self-destructive urges and new strategies of suicide prevention.