Near Death Experience Research Paper

Near-Death Experiences: Psychological or Paranormal? Undergoing a near-death experience is said to be unique and even sometimes unsettling. It can occur under a few differing circumstances, but is most likely to happen when one is on the brink of death. The cause is yet to be positively determined, yet most characteristics of a near-death experience can be attributed to psychological reasoning rather than paranormal. Scientists have given valid explanations for most characteristics of NDE’s . Some common features include intense emotions, rapid movement through darkness (often to a light), a sense of being somewhere else (not of this world), encounters with deceased loved ones and a review of one’s own life, and sometimes an Out of Body
The ‘tunnel into light’ sensation (see figure 1) can be attributed to a phenomenon known as hypotensive syncope, which can cause tunnel-like peripheral to central vision loss. Many nueroscientific studies have shown that brain pathology can lead to visions of deceased ones, angels, ghosts, or a religious figure. This can result from abnormal dopamine functioning, a nuerochemical that can induce hallucinations (Mobbs & Watt). There have also been many reports of experiencing both terrifying and euphoric emotions. Many recreational and medicinal drugs can replicate the positive emotions. “At varying doses, the administration of ketamine can mimic these experiences including hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, positive emotions such as euphoria,
Many NDE accounts seem to include factors which, according to numerous theorists, can only be explained by an out-of-body consciousness. For example, in one account, a woman accurately described a surgical instrument she had not seen previously, as well as a conversation that occurred while she was under general anesthesia. In another account, a nurse removed the dentures of an unconscious heart attack victim, and was asked by him after his recovery to return the dentures. It might be difficult to explain how he had been in a deep coma and undergoing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation at the time and could later recognize the nurse (Zammit). Though the evidence supporting psychological reasoning is strong, there are still a few minor details that have theorists and neuroscientists perplexed. With all common features of NDE’s around the world, there are a few commonalities which can logically be attributed to psychological processes when a person is in an unstable or traumatic setting. With such frail evidence on the paranormal side of this argument, psychological reasoning stands to explain more accurately why NDE’s