A small percentage of NDEs are frightening to those that experience them.  While these NDEs are unusual, they are definitely real NDEs.  There has been remarkably little research on frightening NDEs.  As a result, what we know about frightening NDEs must be considered less certain than virtually any other aspect of NDEs.

            A 1992 study found three different types of distressing NDEs (Greyson, B.; Bush, N. (1992). Distressing near-death experiences. Psychiatry, 55, 95-110.).  These three types of distressing NDEs could be classified as 1) typical NDEs that were interpreted by the NDEr as frightening, 2) NDEs with a sense of nonexistence or a frightening void, and 3) NDEs with graphic hellish imagery.

            As noted, there are several types of frightening NDEs.  Some NDErs encounter elements of the NDE that are seemingly pleasant, but are frightening to the NDEr at the time of the NDE.  An example of this would be considering a typical tunnel experience to be frightening.  Another example of this would be if the NDEr considered the angels encountered during the NDE to be frightening, which has been reported, though rarely.

            Most NDErs encountering a void of feel a sense of pleasantness or connection, and find the experience pleasant.  However, some NDErs encounter a void that they find frightening.  The void may be experienced as empty, unconnected, and unpleasant.

            Many NDEs are not purely frightening, but have parts that are both frightening and pleasant.  When NDEs have both frightening and pleasant components, it is more common for the frightening part to occur first.  For these NDEs, they eventually transition into the later, and usually longer, part of the NDE containing the more typical pleasant experience elements.

            Encountering frightening moments during a NDE is not rare.  The NDERF survey asked “During your experience, did you consider the contents of your experience (NOT the possible life-threatening event that led up to the experience) to be:”, followed by the options of “Wonderful”, “Mixed”, or “Frightening.”  Of the 613 NDErs responding to this question with a NDE Scale score of seven or higher, 62.5% selected “Wonderful”, 33.8% “Mixed”, and only 3.8% “Frightening.”  The finding that about one in three NDEs selected “Mixed” is surprising.  It has not been widely appreciated that such a high percentage of NDEs have such an apparent mixed emotional component.

            I will comment further on “Hellish” NDEs.  “Hellish” NDEs may be defined as NDEs describing landscapes, entities, or sensations that are unworldly, frightening, and suggestive of classical concepts of hell.  Hellish NDEs are the least common subset of frightening NDEs.  It is estimated that about 2% of all NDEs shared with NDERF contain hellish imagery.

            Hellish NDEs are difficult to study.  It was several years after NDEs were first described in 1975 that the existence of frightening NDEs was known.  Multiple prior studies, including all prospective NDE studies published to date, found no frightening NDEs.  People tend to interpret hellish NDEs based on their pre-existing beliefs; often with a component of fear.  This is understandable, as they are frightening and outside of most of our life experiences.

            Prior studies of frightening and hellish NDEs have established that it is wrong to assume that “good people” have pleasant NDEs and “bad people” have hellish NDEs.  In spite of the findings of these prior studies, this erroneous stereotype persists.  This stereotype could greatly limit the desire of those experiencing hellish NDEs to share them.

            It is often difficult for NDErs who had a pleasant experience to share their NDEs.  It is understandable how hesitant an NDEr might be to share an experience that was frightening, or even terrifying.  NDErs experiencing hellish NDEs are likely aware that they risk inviting negative judgments from others due to the content of their NDEs.  Those experiencing frightening NDEs may be more comfortable sharing anonymously on a website, such as NDERF. 

            To help understand frightening and hellish NDEs, one important observation needs to be considered.  There have been experiences presented in the past by other researchers that were called NDEs, but were actually not NDEs.  Some of these hellish non-NDE experiences were REM-intrusion, ICU psychosis, drug experiences, etc.  It may be reassuring to many individuals who had a frightening experience to discover that their experience was not really a NDE.

            For those truly experiencing frightening NDEs, some understanding may be available from the largest prior study of frightening NDEs, a study by Dr. Rommer:

 Rommer, B. (2000). Blessing in disguise: Another side of the near-death experience. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.

            This study reviewed dozens of frightening NDEs.  Dr. Rommer presents suggestions regarding why frightening NDEs happen, and how they affect the NDEr.

            Dr. Rommer believes frightening NDEs occur for three reasons (Rommer, B. (2000). Blessing in disguise: Another side of the near-death experience. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications.).  These three reasons are 1) a motivation to the NDEr to reconsider prior choices, thoughts, and beliefs, 2) the presence of a less than loving mindset immediately prior to the NDE, and 3) due to negative programming during childhood.

            It will be recalled that the aftereffects of typical pleasant NDEs are generally substantial and quite positively life-changing.  Consistent with the aftereffects of pleasant NDEs, Dr. Rommer found those experiencing frightening NDEs often had substantial positive life changes, including a greatly reduced fear of death.  Moreover, some individuals experiencing frightening NDEs came to view the experiences as a gift, and perhaps the most important experience of their lives.  As with pleasant NDEs, changes following frightening NDEs may require many years to fully manifest.

            Many prior NDE studies used the term “negative” to describe NDEs that were frightening or hellish.  The term “negative” is inappropriate, as they often result in the same positive life changes resulting from pleasant NDEs.  This is why the term “frightening” is the more appropriate term for these NDEs.  Others have referred to them as “distressing”, which is also a good term.  Although the term “frightening” expresses the emotion of the experience, it overlooks the reduction of fear, including the fear of death, which often occurs as an aftereffect of a frightening NDE.

            For anyone interested in reading more about frightening NDEs, there is an excellent scholarly review of what is known about frightening NDEs in:

Bush, N. (2009). Distressing western near-death experiences: Finding a way through the abyss. In J. Holden, B. Holden, D. James, The handbook of near-death experiences: Thirty years of investigation. Praeger Publishers, CT.

            Ultimately, frightening NDEs are a mystery.  There is an overwhelming need for more quality evidence-based research.  There is also a need for further thoughtful consideration of existing evidence.