Feeling a presence when no one is around, experiencing a sense of déjà vu, or the sensation of looking at one’s own body from the outside are relatively common experiences and, in most cases, are not associated with mental health problems, according to a study conducted by Brazilian researchers.
Published in the scientific journal PLOS One, the study analyzed how more than 5,100 adults interpret so-called uncommon experiences, concluding that these are generally lived as neutral or positive events and that the way they are interpreted has a greater influence on their impact than the experience itself.
The investigation revealed that 51% of participants considered that these experiences had long-term positive effects, while 20% reported a negative impact and 25% stated having felt suffering or discomfort.
About 39% of respondents said the experience occurred when they were alone and 57% stated that they were awake and fully aware at the moment it happened.
Most attribute these experiences to chance
The researchers also found that most participants attributed these experiences to chance and reported feeling some degree of control over what was happening.
According to Ronald Fischer, one of the study’s authors, experiences such as feeling a presence, having a vision, or the sensation of observing one’s own body are much more frequent in the general population than suggested by diagnostic rates of clinical disorders.
“We observed that the majority of the more than five thousand people in our sample who report these experiences are not ill and describe them as neutral or positive, both at the moment they occur and when reflecting on them later,” he states.
The researcher adds that previous studies have not always clearly distinguished the experience itself from the way each person assigns meaning to it.
“Our work clearly distinguishes the context, the experience, and the processes of meaning-making. The patterns we observed challenge several assumptions that have guided research and clinical practice.”
Interpretation can make a difference
The authors argue that these experiences can, for many people, become sources of personal growth and reflection.
“Highlighting these possible positive outcomes is important to help people understand these experiences and normalize them. We also hope that our work will contribute to reducing the stigma associated with these experiences,” says Ronald Fischer.
The researcher emphasizes, however, that those who feel that these experiences interfere with daily life should seek support from a health professional or someone they trust.
Pedro Fortes, also an author of the study, noted that one of the most surprising aspects was confirming that experiences frequently associated with symptoms of psychosis or dissociation are, after all, relatively common among people without any clinical diagnosis.
Jorge Moll, for his part, considers that the results show that “the way a person interprets an unusual experience is more important than the experience itself in determining whether it becomes a source of suffering or meaning,” a conclusion that, according to the researcher, may have implications for how health professionals and families respond when someone reports such events.
