Khaberni -
A recent study from the University of Virginia in America has revealed a hidden aspect of the lives of millions of people who have had near-death experiences. These experiences are moments when a person is on the brink of extinction and then comes back to life carrying a different view of the world and themselves.
These experiences, which often include sensations of leaving the body, seeing a bright light, feeling deep peace, recalling scenes from life, or meeting spiritual beings, leave a profound psychological impact on their owners, but what comes after survival may be the hardest part.
According to the study published in the journal "APA PsychNet", the medical system fails to support the millions of people who have had these experiences, leaving many of them in complete isolation and deep psychological suffering due to their feelings of disconnection between "the world they came back from" and the mundane reality of everyday life, which seems pale and trivial compared to what they experienced.
Dr. Marietta Belvanova, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Virginia and the leader of the study, says: "Not every near-death experience is painful, but the more intense the experience, the deeper its impact on a person's life."
The study, which involved 167 people who had near-death experiences, found that 64% of them sought help after returning to life, whether from psychologists, spiritual advisors, or online support groups, and that the support was more effective when their experiences were met with belief and empathy rather than skepticism.
The remaining 36% did not seek help, either because they managed to adapt on their own, or because they feared being viewed as delusional or hallucinating.
The study notes that the initial reaction a person receives after recounting their experience is the most important factor in their healing or subsequent suffering.
Real support begins, as Belvanova explains, by listening without trying to interpret, diagnose, or impose personal beliefs, while directing the person to specialized support networks like the International Association for Near-Death Studies.
The study clarifies that some of these experiences can be painful or terrifying, as researchers estimate that between 10 to 22% of them have a negative aspect, including feelings of loss or darkness or isolation.
On the other hand, the study recounts stories of people whose lives were radically changed after undergoing these experiences, including Briana Laverty (25 years old) whose heart stopped for eight minutes, and she came back to life with a deep belief that "death is just an illusion," changing her fear to tranquility and peace.
Peggy Robinson, who lost consciousness due to an ectopic pregnancy at the age of twenty-five, says she "saw heaven and spoke to God," and returned with a firm conviction that "death does not exist and that a person is never alone."
The researchers believe that understanding this phenomenon is not only related to the supernatural or faith but also touches mental and communal health, as millions around the world experience the trauma of returning from "the other side" without finding a safe place to talk about it.
Belvanova says, "To help those who have had these experiences, we must first believe them, because what they lived, for them, is more real than life itself."
