Life After death?

Possibility for life after death on a mental health ward? Share your stories

One doctor who works on the frontline of mental health care says he has treated patients who claimed they could live beyond the grave.

He said that he personally believed in the possibility but said he could not go into more detail about this as he would be "guilty of deception".

He said that he would not make up information on treatment.

Possibility for life after death?

No claims of people being moved on from hospitals have been found to be true.

However, a doctor who worked on the frontline in hospitals across the country told Newsnight that he had treated patients who claimed to be reincarnated.

He said he had seen it in a couple of patients.

"[They say] "We have come from someone else who's been there before, we are the seventh and the eighth generation," he said.

The doctor's claims came after Newsnight asked medical professionals if they believed in reincarnation.

The doctor asked to remain anonymous because he works in the NHS.

He told Newsnight that he believed there was "no substantial evidence" that we are the only living organisms, or living organisms are the only sentient life forms in the Universe.

"[I]t's clearly possible for us to have emerged from ancestors that might have been around in earlier times," he said.

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Dr Michael Reichert, chief medical officer of the UK charity the Michael W Smith Centre for Research and Healing, told Newsnight that he believed some people believe in reincarnation.

"It is a widely held belief and I have patients who do believe in it, they themselves don't subscribe to it," he said.

However, Dr Reichert said he found it unlikely.

"I don't personally believe it," he said.

Don't believe in life after death? Explore the different views at BBC Read more

Why don't more people believe in reincarnation?

Dr Richard Wiseman is a psychologist and science communicator and was Newsnight's science correspondent for more than 20 years.

He said it could be that people "are aware that others might be faking it, [so] they don't put their face up to it in an obvious way.

"You have to ask yourself when you see someone who is a known forger or fraud. Why is that person trying to trick other people?

"Or why is that person lying to you?"

If he was asked by someone who genuinely believed in reincarnation, he would say: "Do you know what? We have not yet had time to get this question established as a fact.

"I would be very careful with that and I would ask them to explain to you to answer your satisfaction."

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The BBC's Craig Pirrong asks people to walk on water: Do you?

Dr Reichert added that he had read more about the subject as he was researching a book about religion in the modern world.

But he added: "For me it is highly unlikely that someone would go to hospital where they'd be given medication for mental illness, and to recover from that, they would think there is someone above or beyond that can see them."

Paranormal activity

From time to time, police forces will be called to investigate paranormal activity in hotels, some believe it may be a sign that a person is alive in a previous life.

Mike Reid, author of Paranormal Witness: Real Cases from the Unexplained, said: "Ghosts are there because of an aura, and it doesn't have to be an earth-shattering tragedy - it could be a job rejection, it could be someone they loved died, it could be an illness they had."

Some might tell stories about seeing a ghost.

Dr Reichert said he knew someone who had seen a ghost while in a trance.

"But the person is generally not offended by it," he said.

But what about haunted houses, famous buildings or trees?

Dr Reichert said that people often report some very good evidence of ghosts in these places.

"In truth, when you go into a place like St Paul's cathedral, it's actually what the scientists refer to as a wooden box - the acoustics are so good, no-one can hear anyone's voice, no-one can hear a dog barking and the only place they can hear is if they are in the right place."