Near Death Experiences
Near death experiences encompass many different sensations related to the belief of an afterlife, or heaven and hell. Both positive and negatice sensations are reported by people after the victim is pronounced clinically dead, and include detachment from the body, feelings of levitation, extreme fear/serenity, warmth, security, and the presence of light. Many variations of light are associated with near death experiences, and are usually associated with a deity.
The book by Raymond Moody Jr. in 1975 titled "Life After Life" led to the formation of the International Association for Near-Death Studies in 1978 was the beginning of near death experience research. Approximately eight million Americans have their own near death experience stories, making the phenomenon a popular topic for debate and research.
Near death experiences are commonly associated with individuals who are clinically dead or close to it, hence the name. However, an increasing number of cases have occurred in patients with conditions which are not life threatening. Extensive scientific research has been conducted, but most of it is contradictory. Studies range from the event being entirely hallucinatory to completely real. It should also be noted that recent developments in cardiac resuscitation have increased the number of reported near death experiences.
Not surprisingly, the content of near death experiences are not universal. Different backgrounds produce different vocabulary as well as sensations that are all associated with a near death experience. Even with the differences, the near death experience story usually follows a similar progression.
Near Death Experiences and Science
The medical community is reluctant to study the phenomenon of near death experiences scientifically, and grants for the research are rare. The research focuses on ways to differentiate between a true near death experience and symptoms of stress, as such similar incidents are experienced by people who suffer from epilepsy. Most near death experiences are attributed to neurological inconsistencies and hallucinations.
Biological factors have been cited as the cause for near death experiences and some have been chemically induced through certain drugs. It has been theorized that near death experiences are not a result of brain trauma, but extensive stress on the brain. Many scientists believe that during a near death experience, the brain retrieves certain pieces of information pertaining to death as a coping mechanism to deal with a situation that is perceived to be fatal.
The out of body experiences associated with near death situations hinge upon the brain attempting to create a mental overview of the situation. Some see this attribute of a near death experience as a way for the brain to circumvent a panic situation, while others see it as proof of another plane of existence.
Near Death Spiritual Viewpoints
Others view a near death experience as an afterlife experience. The inability for science to completely explain the sensations with psychological causes lead people to believe that there is more to a near death experience than psychology. Some sufferers of a near death experience display behavior or certain memories that could only be explained by an out of body assessment of the situation, such as describing items they'd never seen before or recalling events while unconscious.
There are many religious and psychological views on near death experiences, and it seems impossible to explain them in an exclusively scientific or religious manner. As with other strange occurrences, near death experiences spark interest in humans and their fascination with the unknown.