Paper title: The Near-Death Experience and Suicidal Ideation
Author: Robert A King
Journal: OMEGA- Journal of Death and Dying
Publish date: 2023

In this exploratory paper, Robert King examines a topic that is not often acknowledged when discussing the subject of Near-Death experiences. In fact, it may be a largely under-reported elephant-in-the-room when it comes to understanding NDEs and providing support to those who have experienced this phenomenon.

Studies report a small percentage of NDEs that are associated with a nonfatal suicide attempt. 

These reports often suggest that the NDE result in a theraputic resolution to existing suicidal ideations. But this may not always be the case….

Though this positive appraisal of changed lives after an NDE for suicide attempters with decreased suicidal ideation and a rarity of further suicide attempts that has been idealized since the beginning of NDE research may be an accurate assessment for many such individual experients, this is an incomplete portrayal of the matter. This is because there are a number of experients, even if it is only a small minority, who seriously contemplate and sometimes attempt to kill themselves in order to get back to the NDE condition. In fact, this is not only the case for some of those whose NDE was associated with an attempted suicide, but also for some of those whose NDE was not.

So, there may also be a percentage of experiencers who have not attempted to end their lives that also entertain passive thoughts (ie not acted apon) of ending their lives to return to the environment encountered in their NDE.

This is something that has not been widely reported in the literature and is an important consideration for healthcare workers and experiencers themselves in navigating life after an NDE.

After examining accounts of those who had an NDE when they attempted suicide, there is not only the therapeutic concern that some of them may be likely to attempt suicide again, but also that some of those who have not done so are only refraining from such an action by either fear related to the presumed consequences of doing so and/or ideas about their self-worth based on their belief in the objective reality of the NDE. In other words, regardless of whether the NDE is a subjective experience created entirely by the brain or an objective incursion into a real spiritual reality, the internal psychological issues manifesting in suicidal ideation while alive in the physical world have not really been resolved in a more permanent and constructive way.

[…]

Despite the bright portrayal of an NDE’s effect on suicidal ideation in some of the literature that does exist on the subject, a closer look indicates that there is also a substantial amount of gray and darkness around the edges . Because of our value for human life and wellbeing, more attention needs to be focused on the persistence and/or increase of suicidal ideation among some experients who initially tried to kill themselves. Furthermore, despite the disavowal of further suicide attempts from some experients based on fear of the consequences or the increased self-worth and/or sense of purpose due primarily to the interpretation of the NDE and/or their survival of death, the various forms and degrees of suicidal ideation that often still remain need to be directly addressed. In addition, we also need to be attentive to the rise of suicidal ideation among some of those who were not necessarily at risk before their NDE. In light of the discussion in this paper, the association of NDEs with suicidal ideation should be further probed for the development of a more complete portrayal of all the complex facts in a more balanced way together with valid risk assessment instruments of measure so that more progress can be made in recognizing, reaching, and treating these troubled souls who need our help so badly.

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Photo by Sasha Freemind