Van R NDE

Experience Description

I was getting ready for bed one night and had taken a couple of over the counter sleep aids. My roommate had then come home from work and offered me a cookie she got from work. I had eaten this cookie not knowing its exact contents. A half an hour went by and my body and functioning started to shut down. At that time, I felt I was in trouble and wouldn't recover without medical attention. I was driven to the hospital by my roommate and was getting worse by the minute. We had arrived and we were the only ones waiting in the emergency room. I was sitting in a chair and started to have an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu. It was as if I had lived this before even though I had not. At this point I didn't feel as if I had died. It felt more like I was slipping away from life slowly and I couldn't stop it.

I remember my roommate was sitting next to me and I had turned my head to look at her. Everything went quiet and I felt like I was in a dreamlike state. Everything slowed down. At that moment, I felt as if I was out of my body and the déjà vu feeling was so intense. I remember I felt really disappointed and knew I had died. I was telling myself that. I felt I was still alive, just not in my body and even shocked that I was still functioning. I had the feeling that sleep was no longer an option and my mind was going to wonder for eternity. I then remember sound came back suddenly and I was back in my body.

When I was on the hospital bed looking up at the nurses and doctors, I felt as if I knew them my whole life and when I was out of my body, I do remember I was fighting it. I didn't want to die. My heart was pounding so hard and my emotions and everything I had ever felt were in overdrive. At one point, I had a feeling come over my body as if it was telling me to accept it and the pain would go away. The moment I did accept my situation the feeling of calm and peace came over me. It was only at that point that I slowly felt myself come back. When I left the hospital and even two days or so after that, I wasn't sure what reality really was. Because when I died I wasn't really dead, so I wasn't aware if I was in this world or another. Slowly I realized the feeling I had was a near death experience and this was real.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 7/23/2008

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? No Allergic reaction 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death'

How do you consider the content of your experience? Mixed

The experience included: Out of body experience

Did you feel separated from your body? Yes I clearly left my body and existed outside it

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? Less consciousness and alertness than normal Moments before I left my body.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? Moments before I left my body.

Were your thoughts speeded up? Incredibly fast

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning Felt as if I was just in a blank space but still capable of functioning.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? Incredibly more vivid

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. It felt as if I was watching a movie or in a movie. It's hard to explain. It was me but at the same time I was experiencing myself in a dreamlike state. Clarity wasn't as sharp or focused.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. Everything seemed to be quiet.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? Yes, and the facts have been checked out

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? No

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? No

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? No

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? No

What emotions did you feel during the experience? Disappointment. Déjà vu.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Relief or calmness

Did you have a feeling of joy? incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt united or one with the world

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? Everything about the universe

The experience included: Life review

Did scenes from your past come back to you? My past flashed before me, out of my control Won't consider giving up on things I would normally give up on.

Did scenes from the future come to you? Scenes from the world's future

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What was your religion prior to your experience? Liberal none

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes I believe in spirits and the afterlife now.

What is your religion now? Liberal none

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I believe in spirits and the afterlife now.

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? Uncertain

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes People choose not to believe in how death works and some don't want to know. I feel it has pushed some farther away from me.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? What I experienced will live with me forever and one thing I'm sure about that night is when you pass on you will know and there is NO doubt about it. You will definitely know the point when you die. No question about it.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes It was the next day I shared what happened to me to my mother and a close friend. My friend seemed not to believe me about the death. I'm not sure how they feel about my situation regarding their views on life.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? No

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real It was days later that I felt reality was finally back and it was real.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? No