A near-death experience, or NDE, is a profound psychological event with transcendental and mystical elements, that may occur to a person close to death or in situations of physical or emotional crisis. An NDE is an unusual but normal event of consciousness, and having an NDE does not, by itself, indicate a mental health problem. Across thousands of years and in cultures around the world, NDEs follow a broad general pattern with common features that may include an out-of-body experience, a sense of ineffability--being indescribable--a light, encounters with deceased loved ones, and other elements. Coming close to death without any of these special features is not what is meant by a "near-death experience."

No scientific explanation so far accounts for all aspects of NDEs or their effects. For example, lack of oxygen is not a factor in all NDEs, nor is the presence of drugs. Whereas hallucinations are highly individual and produce confusion and hazy memories, NDEs tend to share characteristics and remain in memory for decades as being "realer than real."

Thousands of documented NDEs challenge Western thinking and belief systems. One subject of debate is whether consciousness (mind) resides exclusively in the brain. For example, some people who have an NDE accurately report events that occurred around their bodies when they were unconscious or even clinically dead. Some NDEs have revealed family secrets, such as the existence of a never-mentioned sibling. Expectations about an afterlife may be challenged, and some people abruptly develop radically new interests and abilities after an NDE. Importantly, the effects of an NDE are enduring, powerful, and often life-altering.

The International Association for Near-Death Studies, Inc. (IANDS) is the only professional organization in the world devoted exclusively to the study of near-death and related experiences. IANDS publishes a peer-reviewed journal and a member newsletter, and sponsors conferences for NDE experiencers, scholars, and the public. We invite you to join today to become a part of this mission and keep up-to-date on research developments.

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