Understanding Felt-Presence

Those who have experienced the unsettling phenomenon of felt-presence, where they feel as though someone else is in the room with them, despite no concrete evidence of another presence, are not alone. This experience has been reported by individuals with conditions such as psychosis, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, and brain tumors, as well as by those who have taken psychoactive substances, have certain spiritual/religious beliefs, or have experienced extreme stress or grief. The phenomenon has generated growing interest in scientific research, and a recent literature review by Barnby and colleagues (2023) offers an overview of the evidence base and highlights areas that require more investigation.

Methods

Barnby and colleagues (2023) conducted a literature review using keywords such as “felt presence”, “sensed presence”, “extracampine hallucination”, “non-clinical voice hearers”, “heautoscopy”, “brain lesion”, “epilepsy”, and “psychosis”. The review aimed to collect and summarize relevant research papers related to felt-presence.

Results

The review categorized the research into three main areas: the philosophy and phenomenology of felt-presence, clinical and non-clinical correlates, and theoretical models and mechanisms. The findings indicated that felt-presence is not experienced in a uniform way and can vary across time and individuals. The research also highlighted that certain clinical and non-clinical groups seem to be more susceptible to experiencing felt-presence, suggesting that the phenomenon may be linked to specific brain conditions or experiences.

Conclusions

Barnby and colleagues (2023) concluded that while progress has been made in understanding felt-presence, there is still a need for further exploration and the development of a comprehensive theoretical framework. The review also emphasized the prevalence of felt-presence in certain clinical groups, underscoring the necessity for additional studies to fully elucidate this phenomenon.

Strengths and Limitations

While the review provides a valuable overview of key research on felt-presence, it lacked a systematic approach. This absence of a systematic method in study selection and quality assessment presents limitations in the reliability of the findings.

Implications for Practice

The review underscores the importance for clinicians to consider asking patients about experiences of felt-presence, particularly among clinical groups. It also highlights the need for continuing research to fully understand felt-presence and its implications for various populations.