For most near-death experiencers (NDErs), the experience is a sudden and unexpected
immersion into a different reality than normal earthly life. NDEs can range from being brief with
few features to being prolonged with many intense features. And the aftereffects of near-death experiences are often just as unique to the experiencer as the NDE itself.
Generally speaking, the more features (and the more intense the features) in an NDE, the more numerous and intense are the aftereffects for the experiencer. And just as NDEs contain certain universal features, yet no two NDEs are exactly alike, NDE aftereffects also include certain common features, yet no two aftereffect journeys are exactly alike.
Aftereffects of near-death experiences—’PSPS’
Just as a letter may be followed by a postscript—a PS—NDEs are followed by features that can
be categorized as PSPS. These aftereffects are tendencies rather than characteristics in every
case:
Psychological elements of aftereffects of near-death experiences
The first P stands for psychological. Most NDErs report that they completely lost their fear of
death. In their NDE, they experienced their consciousness functioning apart from their
body, often while their body was completely out of commission, so they know that their
consciousness will survive even when their body dies.
Another frequent psychological aftereffect is a fundamental shift in values: from competitive to compassionate, from self-oriented to service-oriented, and from materialistic to altruistic. They have a newfound sense of the meaning of earthly life, believing that each person’s purpose is to advance in their
capacity to love. And they sometimes manifest skills and talents they did not have before their NDEs, such as musical ability or knowledge of quantum physics.
Spiritual elements
The first S stands for spiritual. NDErs become much more interested in spirituality—reading and
talking with people about spiritual topics. Some NDErs develop what in some religious contexts are termed “spiritual gifts,” such as precognition—knowing the future, telepathy—knowing what another person is experiencing, healing—having the ability to relieve people of ailments; and mediumship—serving as a medium of communication between the living and the physically deceased.
Physical elements
The second P stands for physical. NDErs sometimes report changes in their need for sleep and
their appetites for certain foods. Many report that they are more sensitive to allergens, to
medication, and to environmental factors such as sound and electrical fields.
A fascinating physical aftereffect is electronic effects, in which electronic devices in the NDEr’s vicinity
malfunction, especially when the NDEr is emotionally aroused: watch batteries die almost instantly, and computers crash and phone calls drop much more often than for non-NDErs.
Social aspects
The second S stands for social. All of the previous changes inevitably reverberate in NDErs’
interpersonal worlds. They are transformed—both immediately and over time as they increasingly integrate their NDE—and their relationships and affiliations change accordingly.
They change friends and organizational affiliations—finding those who share their new interests and values. If they are married at the time of their NDE, they are more likely to divorce, especially if their new-found values diverge from those of their spouse. They change careers, from those focused on fame and/or material gain to those focused on service to humanity.
Helping someone through the aftereffects of near-death experiences
Because these aftereffects can be very disruptive to an NDEr’s life, experiencers often seek help
adjusting to them. When they do, it is important for anyone they confide in to respond not
harmfully, but helpfully:
- N-vite the NDEr to talk more about their experience.
- Name the experience as a possible NDE.
- Normalize the experience as something that happens to 10-20% of people who survive a
close brush with death or who experience some other extreme life circumstance - Naturalize the experience as a real, or potentially real, experience
- Normalize the experience as something unrelated to mental disorder
- Numinize the experience as a spiritually neutral, beneficial, or potentially beneficial
experience - N-quire about the meaning that the NDEr attributes to the experience
- Navigate the NDEr to resources, such as the IANDS website at www.iands.org
Some researchers have found that an NDEr may need, on average, seven years to feel
completely at peace with their experience—having reoriented their lives to align with their
aftereffects.
NDErs who believe they could benefit from discussing their experiences with others can find local or online sharing groups at isgo.iands.org and mental health professionals specially trained to work with NDEr clients here at IANDS.org. Whatever NDErs’ needs in the aftermath of their experience, IANDS is here to help.