Making Sense of Near-death Experiences: A Handbook for Clinicians

*Highly Commended in the Psychiatry category at the 2012 British Medical Association Book Awards*

A near-death experience (NDE) is a phenomenon whereby powerful physical and emotional sensations and visions are experienced by someone who is either close to death or has been declared clinically dead.

This is an accessible guide to the theory and evidence underlying the phenomenon of NDEs. With contributions from leading international experts in the field, it provides an overview of the research into NDEs, the nature of NDEs and how they have been experienced around the world, and the physiological, psychological and medical bases of the phenomenon. The book also discusses children's NDEs, NDEs from a religious perspective, the role of light in NDEs, the assessment and management of NDEs, and the future of research into the phenomenon.

This essential handbook will provide all those who may encounter someone who has had an NDE with the knowledge and understanding they need, including nurses, doctors, palliative care workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and pastoral workers.

Mahendra Perera is Consultant Psychiatrist and Senior Fellow of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia. Karuppiah Jagadheesan is Consultant Psychiatrist, Australia. Anthony Peake is Research Fellow at the Center For Advanced Studies at the Giordano Bruno University.