Near-death experience. Presumed after-effects

What is it about?

A weird state of steady happiness developed after a severe brain hemorrage, about seven years ago. Although the resulting multiple neurological symptoms necessitated the use of a wheeling chair and the interruption of any clinical and academic activity at age 59, the author felt a condition of happiness, which did not depend from good news, and was totally different from previous affective functioning. After having briefly discussed, and having waved, hypotheses of psychotic functioning, the author also discards the possibility of denial and of severe masochism. Thanks to the time afforded by retirement, the author discovers the after-effects of near-death experience (nde), something he had not heard about previously. The core affective after-effects of the nde seem surprisingly homogeneous to his new condition.

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Why is it important?

Although the nde, and its after-effects, are known from 1975 and have been discussed by several excellent papers and books, not to speak of a peer-reviewed journal centered on nde, the awareness of its existence is astonishingly lacking in certain parts of the western clinical world, such as Scandinavian countries and Italy. This holds true even for clinicians who are in frequent contact with American, British, German or French colleagues. Confusing the after-effects of a nde with the operation of primitive defenses would be a gross mistake.

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