“I’m not afraid to die”: the loss of the fear of death after a near-death experience
Natasha Tassell-Matamua, Nicole Lindsay
January 2, 2016 DOI: 10.1080/13576275.2015.1043252 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key points | Argues that the loss of fear of death after NDEs is directly influenced by four combined elements: disembodiment, positive emotions, encounters with deceased or spiritual beings, and a bright otherworldly light. Proposes that these elements together account for the pervasive and instantaneous elimination of death fear, and suggests implications for end-of-life care. |
Abstract
According to terror management theory, fear of death is one of the most profound of human anxieties. Yet, the near-death experience (NDE) and its associated pattern of after-effects represent an intriguing exception to this theory. Studies indicate the loss of the fear of death is an instantaneous and pervasive after-effect of NDEs. Some theorists propose this elimination of death fear could be related to the sense of disembodiment felt during the NDE. In this article, we expand on previous theories by suggesting the combination of four specific elements of the NDE directly influence the loss of the fear of death, including: the sense of disembodiment, positive emotional content, meeting and greeting with deceased others and spiritual beings and exposure to a bright otherworldly light. We conclude by making suggestions for future research endeavours in this area, and their potential beneficial implications for health service delivery, particularly in end-of-life care.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otherworld Journeys: Accounts of Near-Death Experience in Medieval and Modern Times | 1987 | Historical analysis | |
| Neuroscience and the Near-Death Experience: Roles for the NMSA-PCP receptor, the sigma receptor and the endopsychosins | 1990 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Implications of near-death experiences for a postmaterialist psychology. | 2010 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Near-Death Experience as a Probe to Explore (Disconnected) Consciousness | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Near-death experiences between science and prejudice | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Comparison of psychedelic and near-death or other non-ordinary experiences in changing attitudes about death and dying PLoS One August 24, 2022
- The Psychological Correlates of Decreased Death Anxiety After a Near-Death Experience: The Role of Self-Esteem, Mindfulness, and Death Representations Journal of Humanistic Psychology December 5, 2019
- Which near-death experience features are associated with reduced fear of death? Mortality January 27, 2022
- Ayahuasca-induced personal death experiences: prevalence, characteristics, and impact on attitudes toward death, life, and the environment Frontiers in Psychiatry December 19, 2023
- VR models of death and psychedelics: an aesthetic paradigm for design beyond day-to-day phenomenology Frontiers in Virtual Reality January 29, 2024
and 7 more in the library
Cites 29
- The Experimental Induction of Out-of-Body Experiences Science August 23, 2007
- Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands The Lancet December 1, 2001
- The Near-Death Experience Scale The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease June 1, 1983
- Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit General Hospital Psychiatry July 1, 2003
- Features of "near-death experience" in relation to whether or not patients were near death The Lancet November 1, 1990
and 24 more in the library