Dr. Raymond Moody introduced the concept of the NDE or Near Death Experience in 1975 to millions of people with his bestselling book Life After Life.
Long before and after Dr. Moody’s book, countless people around the world have reported having an NDE or Near Death Experience.
Most NDE stories have similar themes, such as feeling completely separated from the physical body and any pain, traveling through a tunnel into “the Light”, feeling deep love and compassion, experiencing an incredibly vivid and beautiful world where there is no fear, meeting loved ones who had previously died, meeting wise guides, not having an organized religion (what they experience does not always coincide with their beliefs) and life reviews that include key moments but from the perspective of the other person.
In addition to the evidence, some NDE experimenters give detailed accounts of things that happened when they were “dead” that they could not have known, such as conversations by medical personnel in or out of the room, or events with loved ones miles away.
Skeptics say that NDEs are not really spiritual experiences, but simply biological or even deceptive. They say they can be explained by brain states that occur due to stress, death, drugs, or mental illness.
Psychiatrist Bruce Greyson disagrees. In a panel discussion on psychiatry and NDE, present the main differences between mental illness and NDE. Below are her words from her presentation slides.
Comparison of near death experiences and psychotic experiences
Mental illness includes dysfunction, distress, paranoia, and a switch from medications.
The NDE includes growth, meaning, altruism, and no change with medications.
Both include visions, strange beliefs, and changed roles.
NDE generally occurs during extreme or life-threatening situations. The other does not.
The NDE is usually rare and of short duration. The other is not.
NDE generally occurs in the absence of a mental disorder, intoxication, or metabolic disorder. The other does not.
NDEs usually follow a previous normal operation. The other does not.
NDEs are specific and detailed. The other is not.
NDEs are patterned, structured, and not randomly organized. The other is not.
NDEs are consistent across individuals and cultures. The other is not.
NDEs can include verifiable perceptions, such as out-of-body perceptions. The other does not.
NDEs are compatible with religious or spiritual tradition. The other is not.
NDEs are not related to events in the physical environment. The other is not.
The NDE is remembered as real or hyperreal. The other is not.
ECM memory persists over time without fading. The other does not.
The memory of the NDE remains alive over time. The other does not.
The ECM memory preserves the original details over time. The other does not.
The NDE has an idea of the meaning of the experience. The other does not.
NDE distress, if any, lasts only until the experience is integrated. The other does not.
NDE has a positive exploratory attitude towards experience. The other does not.
NDE has the desire to share with other experimenters. The other does not.
NDE has the absence of symptoms of mental illness. The other does not.
NDE has the absence of thoughts of harming yourself or others. The other does not.
NDE has the ability to maintain jobs and relationships. The other does not.
NDE has the absence of legal difficulties. The other does not.
The ECM has increased sensitivity (eg, To electromagnetic fields). The other does not.
NDE has positive results over time; Life becomes more meaningful, joy increases, fear decreases, erases fear of death, increases feelings of connection with others, and is less self-centered and more altruistic. The other does not.
The NDE is not affected by antipsychotic medication.
You can have both at the same time, or one and then the other.
One of the psychiatrists in the video apologized for colleagues in the field who did not believe or downplay their patients’ NDEs.
The following videos were recommended to learn more about NDEs: “The Near-Death Experience: What Medical Professionals Need to Know” by Roberta Moore; Peter Shockey’s “Life After Life”, based on Dr. Raymond Moody’s book “Life After Life”; “Afterlife” by Sir Paul Perry.
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