The devil in heaven: A near-death experience with both positive and negative facets
H. Irwin, B. Bramwell
Journal of Near-Death Studies September 1, 1988 DOI: 10.1007/bf01076748 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | One individual who reported a near-death experience |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key findings | The authors present a single near-death experience that started as a positive experience but then became negatively toned, dominated by fear and anguish. They argue that this case is theoretically important for understanding the relationship between negative and typical positive near-death experiences. |
Abstract
Although the considerable majority of reported near-death experiences (NDEs) are associated with positive affect, there are occasional cases of so-called negative NDEs that are dominated by fear and anguish. The phenomenological status of the negative experiences and their relationship to the more typical positive NDEs have been the subject of increasing speculation. In that light, the NDE described in this paper is of interest because it began to unfold as a positive experience but then changed course to become a negatively toned one. We present the details of this case and note its principal theoretical implications.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near-Death Experiences in India Individuals in India who reported near-death experiences | 1986 | Case study | n = 16 |
| The Near-Death Experience as a Focus of Clinical Attention Patients presenting with near-death experience-related problems | 1997 | Case study | n = 4 |
| A prospectively studied near-death experience with corroborated out-of-body perceptions and unexplained healing. A person who had a near-death experience | 2006 | Case report | n = 1 |
| Verified account of near-death experience in a physician who survived cardiac arrest. A 32-year-old female physician experiencing childbirth | 2020 | Case study | n = 1 |
| This is your brain on death: a comparative analysis of a near-death experience and subsequent 5-Methoxy-DMT experience. An individual who had a near-death experience during a coma caused by bacterial... | 2023 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Distressing Near-Death Experiences Psychiatry February 1, 1992
- A systematic analysis of distressing near-death experience accounts Memory June 12, 2019
- Near-Death Experience: Out-of-Body and Out-of-Brain? Review of General Psychology March 1, 2011
- Solving the riddle of frightening near-death experiences: Some testable hypotheses and a perspective based on A course in miracles. Journal of Near-Death Studies 1994
- Explanation of near-death experiences: a systematic analysis of case reports and qualitative research. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
and 4 more in the library