The therapeutic importance of the study of the effects of the near-death experience

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are often described as orderly and positive, but some percipients show trauma symptoms. This research focuses on the negative aspects of NDEs, particularly their connection to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The life review—a vivid, logical recounting of dying experiences that may include guilt—is used as a key feature to argue that NDEs can involve both sanity and distressing features. The author concludes that NDEs may provide limited evidence for PTSD symptoms requiring therapeutic attention. The work challenges the lack of clinical guidance for NDE percipients and calls for psychiatrists to develop therapies, especially for those with negative NDEs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

During the near-death experience (NDE), most percipients do express a high level of orderliness; yet at some instances, some percipients show some symptoms of trauma. It is pertinent to notice that a great quantity of academic work has been carried out about the excitements and awesomeness that comes alongside the NDE, but very little has been itemised about the traumatic or the negative aspects of the NDE. The aim of this research is to discuss the seemingly abnormal effects of the NDE that can be connected to the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is important to note that the life review is one of the major features of the NDE in which a percipient narrates vividly and logically his or her dying experiences that may or may not include a feeling of guilt. A phenomenological method is implored in this research because the researcher uses the life review feature to argue that there is both saneness and some distressing features observed among many NDE percipients. At the end of this study, the researcher argued that the NDE may provide scanty evidence or possibilities for symptoms that pertained to a PTSD that may require a therapeutic and medical attention. Contribution: The researcher challenges the current status quo, which does not provide any guide or therapy for NDE percipients. The researcher therefore instigates the need for the psychiatrists and other caregivers to begin to develop some guide or therapy for NDE percipients especially those who experience a negative NDE.