Fear, Pain, Denial, and Spiritual Experiences in Dying Processes
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® August 21, 2017 Monika Renz, O. Reichmuth, D. Bueche et al. 112 citations
Dying cancer patients often experience fear, pain, and denial, but these distress states are not constant; many patients also undergo a transformation of perception—shifts in awareness of time, space, body, and social connectedness—that can lead to spiritual or transcendental experiences, especially during calm periods after the transition. Most patients in the study died peacefully. Previous near-death or spiritual experiences may ease the dying process. The findings suggest that end-of-life care should attend to patients' inner processes beyond symptom management.