If you or someone you care about has had an near-death experience, you likely have a lot of questions. What is a near-death experience? Where can I learn more about them? Where do I find support?
A near-death experience, or “NDE”, is an oftentimes vivid and profound experience resulting from a close encounter with death. Not everyone who comes close to death has a near-death experience. But they can be life-changing occurrences for those who do.
Near-death experiences are usually the result of near-death episodes—extreme physiological or psychological conditions during which a person is temporarily clinically dead, near death, or exposed to situations where death is likely or expected.
Most reported NDEs are described as pleasurable experiences, coupled with feelings of love, joy, peace, or bliss. A minority of NDE reports are distressing, with feelings of terror, horror, anger, isolation, or guilt. In either case, the experience is typically “hyper-real” for those who experience them—more real, vivid, and detailed than earthly life.
Depending on how restrictively the NDE is defined, studies indicate that between 12 percent and 40 percent of people who go through near death episodes will later report near-death experiences.
This means millions of Americans have had near-death experiences. So if you or someone you know have experienced an NDE first hand, you’re not alone. And the International Association for Near-Death Experiences is here to help you learn more about NDEs—what causes them, who experiences them, and how they’re defined.
What is a near-death experience? NDEs at a glance
Science still doesn’t have conclusive answers to the question of what is a near-death experience. But we do at least have a strong understanding, backed by research, that explains some of the underlying conditions and psychological impacts of NDEs.
Near-death experiences are often experienced by those exposed to extremely dangerous, life-threatening scenarios. This includes physical illness or injury, harrowing experiences like combat, or even being clinically dead for a period of time.
There are also experiences quite similar or even identical to an NDE known as near-death-like experiences. These can be brought on by profound grief or in states of deep meditation or extreme physical exertion.
There are no apparent restrictions on who might have an NDE, either. Anyone can experience an NDE—no person is more or less prone to them, regardless of culture, socioeconomics, mental health, education, religious views, or any other factor.
Read More: What causes near-death experiences, and who has them?
The two types of NDEs
There are generally two types of near-death experiences observed by researchers. And while both types have distinct characteristics, there is some overlap between them as well, such as heightened clarity and even some instances of one type of NDE transforming into the other.
The more common type of near-death experience is referred to as a pleasurable NDE. These NDEs involve reports of heightened clarity and oftentimes involve “supernatural” encounters with beings and environments you wouldn’t associate with the natural world.
The less common type of NDE is referred to as a distressing NDE. These more traumatic near-death experiences include feelings of powerlessness, despair, nothingness, judgment, and even torment.
Read More: Pleasurable and distressing near-death experiences
Learn more about NDEs with IANDS and help advance research!
We’ve hopefully given you at least a brief introduction to the world of NDEs. And that initial question of what is a near-death experience is one you’ll now have a better understanding of. But these are profoundly extraordinary experiences. And you can’t learn it all in the scope of just one article.
IANDS—the International Association of Near-Death Studies—is a non-profit educational organization devoted to helping advance the scientific and academic research of near-death experiences. And we’re here to help you on your journey, through education, support, community, and more.
If you or someone you care for has had a near-death experience, you’ve come to the right place. IANDS.org features information, support, research tools, and more to help you better understand NDEs and their meaning. We’re here to help, and more importantly, you’re not alone.