After a week of celebrating Halloween and The Day Of The Dead, you may be having thoughts about “the afterlife.” From our earliest recorded history, interest in and connection with an afterlife has been an ongoing part of celebrations and rituals around dying and death. Around the world, cultures acknowledge a belief in heaven, hell, and other aspects of an afterlife, though that belief may be in slight decline in the United States. 

But when asked, roughly ½ of all Americans will say that they have had some connection with relatives after they have died, such as perceptions of after-death visits from their loved one. These “After Death Communications” (ADCs) appear to be reported from people of all faiths, and even those who categorize themselves as agnostics or atheists. A recent post in Psychology Today details the visions and perceptions reported and the comfort these post-death connections appear to provide to the living. Many often describe an immediate and substantial sense of peace and relief from emotional pain after they believe they have had an after-death communication with a loved one. That communication may come in the form of a voice, a touch, a vision, an odor, flickering lights, or even just an intuitive sense of a presence. One important component of this sort of communication is that it appears to be completely spontaneous. Efforts to consciously reach out to a deceased loved one are not involved. Finally, these ADCs are usually perceived within the first year of bereavement and can result in a profound psychological change and comfort to a grieving person.

Neuroscience News recently reported on an actual study from the University of Virginia on this phenomenon, published in OMEGA- Journal of Death and Dying. The study surveyed 70 individuals who reported ADCs with their deceased partners. The impacts of these ADCs on the grieving process are important to note: 40% of the survey respondents said their experiences accelerated their ability to recover from the death of their partner. 61% said they hoped such communication continued. 47% said the ADCs eased acceptance of their loss. Ultimately it seems clear that in many cases the ADCs of the bereaved seem to play a therapeutic role in the relief of grief and in support of the healing process.

With the advent of artificial intelligence and the increasing ways it can simulate real human interactions and personalities, it’s not surprising to discover that companies are now working on enabling “digitally enhanced” opportunities to connect with loved ones after their deaths. In a recent article in the MIT Technology Review, author Charlotte Jee described the AI-enhanced software used to create “digital clones” of her parents with whom she could “speak” when they were no longer alive. Companies like HereAfter AI allow the creation of a digital legacy and avatars that can relay the legacy after a person has died. While there may be some comfort in being able to connect with a digital avatar of a deceased loved one there’s also something a bit strange about an artificial creation mimicking the sound and stories of someone who has died without the intimate details that may be the real source of connection. Nonetheless, it’s the start of what’s known as “grief tech” and other companies (such as StoryFile) will be taking up the mantle to create ever more “life-like” ways for you to commune with the dearly departed. To find out more, boot up your computer and click here.