Phenomenological memory characteristics and impact of near-death experience in critically ill survivors: Observations at discharge and after a 1-year follow-up.
International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP January 1, 2024 Charlotte Martial, Pauline Fritz, Helena Cassol et al. 3 citations
One year after a prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay, survivors who reported a near-death experience (NDE) retained vivid, stable memories with many phenomenological details such as visual features and emotions. Among 126 adult ICU survivors, 19 (15%) reported an NDE as identified by the Greyson scale. The most common NDE features were altered time perception, heightened senses, and life review; Greyson scores did not change over the year. One year later, 18% of the NDE group and 24% of the non-NDE group were less afraid of death. The findings suggest that clinicians should interview all ICU patients about their memories.