Out of Body Experiences

Figure 1. Consciousness is not permanently attached to the body.

Out of Body Experiences (OBEs) are a state of mind which often occurs as a result of near death experiences or psychedelics use (most prominently ketamine and DMT).

Whilst OBEs seem to pull consciousness fully from the body, a lesser form, of this seems to be depersonalization / derealisation. A suggested evolutionary rationale for this mechanism is that OBEs tend to occur pre or during traumatic events, suggesting OBEs are used almost as an ejector seat of consciousness to avoid long term effects of psychological trauma.