Challenges faced by those who had an NDE:

“If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.“ Thomas, W.I and Thomas, D.S.⁶⁰

NDErs face significant challenges following an NDE.

• In one study, 65 % of NDErs’ marriages result in divorce as opposed to 40 to 50% in the general population.⁶¹   Major changes in values⁶², careers (75%)⁶³ and religious views⁶⁴ contribute to stress in an NDEr’s relationships.⁶⁵
• NDErs, especially those who have suffered a distressing or frightening experience, can suffer from feelings of alienation and depression. They often avoid disclosing their experience, not wanting to risk ridicule, judgment and lack of understanding in others.⁶⁶ Evidence suggests that non-disclosure of significant personal experiences increases physical and psychological stress. This stress adds to the physical and emotional challenges caused by events that originally led to the near-death experience itself.^67,68  The degree to which NDErs suffer from depression or suicidal ideation linked to their NDEs is under study by IANDS.

IANDS Educational Venues: 

• IANDS has now grown to include over 50 local groups throughout the world. IANDS hosts international conferences, conducts workshops and retreats, and produces educational materials and a quarterly peer-reviewed journal and magazine on the topic of near-death experiences.  Workshops have been developed for healthcare providers, for near-death experiencers and for the general public.

Future Research:

• IANDS has identified several priorities for future research. Those include larger studies of NDEs in non-Western cultures and formal needs assessments of NDErs, especially among combat NDErs, children and adults who have experienced harrowing NDEs. IANDS is also investigating suitable application of NDEs for suicide prevention, as well as for reduction of grief and fear of death, while continuing its quest to understand the causes, nature and implication of the near-death experience.