The great majority of near death experiences (NDE’s) are reported as having (often overwhelmingly) positive content. A very small number are reported as frightening, or even terrifying. Yet even these, can have a transformative impact on the persons life.

Case report. We present the rare case of a 25-year-old woman who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury following a high-speed car accident, necessitating her placement in a medically induced pharmacological coma for 20 days. Upon her recovery of consciousness, the patient recounted a deeply frightening NDE (scoring 28/32 on the Greyson NDE Scale) that included an OBE with specific, accurate perceptions of events that occurred while she was unconscious. These perceptions were later verified by medical personnel. Notably, the patient subsequently reported significant psychological and behavioral changes, including the complete resolution of her pre-accident suicidal ideation. Conclusions. This case offers compelling evidence that challenges conventional reductionist models of consciousness, raising critical questions about its neurobiological basis. It also underscores the profound transformative potential of distressing NDEs and their implications for psychiatric practice. We discuss the importance of acknowledging and exploring these non-ordinary states of consciousness to better understand their psychological and neurobiological underpinnings.

Full report: A distressing near-death experience with veridical perceptions during coma: psychiatric and clinical reflections from a rare case