Psychedelic Trips Resemble Near-Death Experiences, New Study Shows—What Does It Mean?
A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Liège in Belgium and Imperial College London has revealed striking similarities between the altered states of consciousness experienced during near-death events and those induced by psychedelic drugs.
Near-death experiences are more common than we think. Estimates suggest that between 5% and 10% of the general population report them. These experiences were recurrently dismissed by scientists as fantastical, but recent research has begun to take them more seriously. As the New York Times reported, the new study builds on this emerging field by directly comparing NDEs with experiences induced by psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms.
A New Approach To Studying Near-Death Experiences
Studying near-death experiences in a laboratory setting is inherently challenging, given that they often occur in life-threatening situations. To circumvent this, researchers have sought alternative ways to study similar states of consciousness without putting participants at risk. Psychedelic drugs, known for their ability to profoundly alter perception and consciousness, offer a unique opportunity to explore these states safely.
The study surveyed 31 individuals, predominantly men from the United States and Britain, who had both NDEs and experiences with psychedelic substances. Participants were asked to complete questionnaires assessing various aspects of their experiences, …