315 ‒ Life after near-death: a new perspective on living, dying, and the afterlife

View show notes here: https://bit.ly/3AKqMHz
Become a member to receive exclusive content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/
Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/

Sebastian Junger is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and previous guest on The Drive. In this episode, Sebastian returns to discuss his latest book, In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife. This episode delves into Sebastian's profound near-death experience and how it became the catalyst for his exploration of mortality, the afterlife, and the mysteries of the universe. They discuss the secular meaning of what it means to be sacred, the intersection of physics and philosophy, and how our beliefs shape our approach to life and death. He also shares how this experience has profoundly changed him, giving him a renewed perspective on life—one filled with awe, gratitude, deeper emotional awareness, and a more engaged approach to living.

We discuss:
0:00:00 - Intro
0:00:43 - How Sebastian’s near-death experience shaped his thinking about mortality and gave him a reverence for life
0:04:50 - The aneurysm that led to Sebastian’s near-death experience
0:16:19 - Emergency room response, his subsequent reflections on the event, and the critical decisions made by the medical team
0:27:04 - Sebastian’s reaction to first learning he nearly died, and the extraordinary skill of the medical team that save his life
0:40:54 - Sebastian’s near-death experience
0:53:31 - The psychological impact of surviving against overwhelming odds
1:01:18 - Ignored warning signs: abdominal pain and a foreshadowing dream before the aneurysm rupture
1:05:43 - Sebastian's recovery, his exploration of near-death experiences, and the psychological turmoil he faced as he questioned the reality of his survival
1:11:38 - A transformative encounter with a nurse who encouraged Sebastian to view his near-death experience as sacred
1:17:50 - How Sebastian has changed: a journey toward emotional awareness and fully engaging with life
1:25:55 - The possibility of an afterlife, and how quantum mechanics challenges our understanding of existence
1:38:34 - Quantum paradoxes leading to philosophical questions about the nature of reality, existence after death, and whether complete knowledge could be destructive
1:51:45 - The sweet spot of uncertainty: exploring belief in God, post-death existence, and meaning in life
2:10:38 - The transformative power of experiencing life with awe and gratitude
--------
About:

The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 90 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.

Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan.

Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com

Connect with Peter on:
Facebook: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDFB
Twitter: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDTW
Instagram: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDIG

Subscribe to The Drive:
Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveApplePodcasts
Overcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveOvercast
Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheDriveSpotify
Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheDriveGoogle

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor-patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they have, and they should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. I take conflicts of interest very seriously. For all of my disclosures and the companies I invest in or advise, please visit my website where I keep an up-to-date and active list of such companies. For a full list of our registered and unregistered trademarks, trade names, and service marks, please review our Terms of Use: https://peterattiamd.com/terms-of-use/