die, so the psychological
mechanism would serve
no purpose.
And, if it
occurred just to those who
went on to live, how could
these mechanisms possibly know if the person was
going to live or die? On
the positive side, it would
explain the consistency of
the NDE reports, as well
as it’s paranormal aspects
and why it can have beneficial effects on the individual.
that the NDE represents the death
of the ego, providing a substitute for
the death of the person, and the life
The most promising psychological
review helps to resolve old conflicts theories all seem to focus on why
and move on with life.
people have such a universal experience. There are some academics,
such as Grosso, who have pointed to
Could facing death cause a regres- the similarities between the universal
sion in the mind of the individual to a experience of those who experience
developmental stage of life, thereby the NDE with that of patients who
allowing psychological mechanisms suffer Delirium Tremens. This disease
to kick in , manifesting as the NDE? is caused by withdrawal from alcohol
There is no hard evidence for this or sedative - hypnotic drugs, such
and this idea relies a lot on factors as barbiturates. The symptoms of
that cannot be tested easily. Also, Delirium tremens include, amongst
does this happen just to survivors or others, palpitations, convulsions and
to everyone at death? If this regres- auditory and visual hallucinations.
sion occurred in everyone it would These hallucinations involve distorbe pointless as the huge majority tions of the environment and tactile
of people who are dying do in fact sensations such as animals crawling
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