Reduced death threat in near-death experiencers

Abstract Near-death experiences (NDEs), profound mystical or transcendental experiences occurring on the threshold of death, have been reported to reduce fear of death and death anxiety. This study compared responses to the Threat Index, a widely used measure of the threat implied by one's personal death, of (a) 135 near-death experiences, (b) 43 individuals who had come close to death but not had an NDE, and (c) 112 individuals who had never come close to death. Death threat was significantly lower among those with near-death experiences than among the two comparison groups, and degree of death threat was inversely correlated with depth of NDE as measured by the quantitative NDE Scale. Self/ideal self discrepancy or, inversely, actualization, was not related to occurrence or depth of NDEs.