A new study published in The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion has found that adults who say they remember past lives tend to experience more symptoms of mental health issues, including anxiety and posttraumatic stress, than the general population. However, these same individuals also report high levels of spirituality, which appears to be linked to greater happiness and fewer signs of psychological distress.

The research was conducted in Brazil, where beliefs in reincarnation are common. It provides one of the first large-scale investigations into the mental health, well-being, and religious or spiritual characteristics of adults who report memories of previous lives. The findings raise questions about how such experiences are processed, understood, and supported, particularly in cultures where spiritual beliefs are widespread.

Although there has been decades of research on children who claim to remember past lives, adults with similar experiences have received much less attention. Earlier work, particularly that of psychiatrist Ian Stevenson in the 20th century, documented detailed accounts from children in different countries. These children often described names, places, and causes of death from what they believed were their previous lives. Some of these memories faded with age, but in a number of cases, they persisted into adulthood.

Little is known about how adults who claim these memories are affected by them, or what characteristics they tend to share. Do they experience mental health challenges? How do their spiritual or religious beliefs influence their well-being? The Brazilian research team set out to answer these questions through a nationwide survey of adults who reported past-life memories.

“I was introduced to this topic by two of my patients, who were in great distress and associated it with a past life,” said study author Sandra Maciel de Carvalho, a member of the Research Center on Spirituality and Health at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora in Brazil.

“One of them often described details of the supposed past life, such as where and when he lived, his profession, his family members (whom he recognized in his current life), and a crime he had committed, which consequences he could still feel. The other person, during the most difficult moments she faced, would often cry a lot and complain: ‘I didn’t want to come back, they forced me,’ always asking what the meaning of her current life was.”

“Since I had been interested in the topic of health and spirituality for a long time and used to attend events organized by the Research Center on Spirituality and Health (NUPES) at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, I thought that this could be an interesting topic for a doctoral project. So, I requested a meeting with Dr. Alexander Moreira-Almeida, director of NUPES, and he was just starting a research project on alleged children’s past-life memories. And after being approved in the public examination for the doctorate, I was put in charge of the research with adults.”

The researchers launched an online survey between 2019 and 2021, inviting adults living in Brazil who believed they had experienced memories of a past life to participate. In total, 402 individuals met the study criteria and completed the full set of questions.

Participants were asked to describe their alleged memories in detail. They also provided information about their demographics, mental health, spiritual beliefs, and levels of happiness. Several validated psychological questionnaires were used to assess symptoms of common mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression, as well as posttraumatic stress. Religious and spiritual beliefs were evaluated through a widely used multidimensional scale.

The majority of participants were women (79%), had completed higher education (68%), and identified as Spiritists (54.5%). Spiritism is a religious movement in Brazil that incorporates beliefs in reincarnation and spiritual evolution. Most respondents also described themselves as highly spiritual.

The memories tended to emerge spontaneously, rather than being brought about through hypnosis or therapy. On average, participants reported their first past-life memory at around 20 years old, though some dated their experiences back to early childhood. These memories were often detailed and included not only visuals but sensations, emotions, and even sounds or smells.

Participants reported a wide range of past-life scenarios, from lives lived in ancient civilizations to more recent centuries. A majority described difficult or traumatic past deaths, sometimes linked to violence. Many said their memories affected them deeply, often causing distress or confusion.

In addition to the memories themselves, the study also asked about other features commonly reported in previous research on past-life recall. Over half of the participants said they had birthmarks or physical traits they believed were connected to how they died in a previous life. Nearly three-quarters reported phobias that began in childhood, such as a fear of water, loud noises, or enclosed spaces. Many also reported intense interests or desires that felt out of place, which they associated with their previous identities.

The researchers found a high rate of self-reported mental health symptoms among participants. Nearly half of the sample (46%) scored above the threshold for symptoms of depression or anxiety, and more than a third (39%) met the criteria for posttraumatic stress symptoms based on a standardized scale.

Childhood phobias and unusual early desires (referred to as “philias”) appeared to be significant factors. Participants who recalled these traits in childhood were more likely to report mental health struggles later in life. For example, those with philias had nearly four times higher odds of showing symptoms of common mental disorders, and they also reported lower levels of happiness. Phobias were also linked to greater chances of posttraumatic stress symptoms.

At the same time, religious and spiritual beliefs appeared to be protective. Participants who engaged in spiritual practices or held strong spiritual convictions tended to report greater happiness and fewer symptoms of mental health problems. Among the various spiritual traits examined, forgiveness and positive spiritual coping had the strongest associations with psychological well-being. People who scored high in forgiveness were more than six times as likely to report being happy, and less than half as likely to show signs of posttraumatic stress.

“Higher levels of forgiveness increase the chances of greater happiness by 385% and decrease the chances of PTSD symptoms by 79% and common mental disorders symptoms by 53%,” Carvalho told PsyPost. “Positive coping increases the chances of greater happiness by 385% and decreases the chances of common mental disorders symptoms by 51%. On the other hand, negative coping decreases the chances of happiness by 87%, and increases the chances of PTSD symptoms by 216% and common mental disorders symptoms by 899%! We already knew that religiosity/spirituality is usually associated with positive outcomes in mental health, but the role of forgiveness and religious/spiritual coping in our study was really impressive.”

On the other hand, those who relied on negative coping strategies—such as interpreting their suffering as divine punishment—were more likely to experience psychological distress.

Although most participants believed their memories were real and spiritually significant, nearly half said the memories had negatively affected their lives. Some described emotional challenges in relationships, lingering fears, or confusion about their sense of identity.

These results indicate that experiences of past-life memory in adulthood may be accompanied by emotional distress, particularly when they involve unresolved fears or trauma. Phobias and unusual desires in childhood, which participants believed were linked to past lives, were associated with higher levels of mental health symptoms in adulthood.

At the same time, religious and spiritual beliefs provided a kind of buffer. Many participants reported that their spiritual outlook helped them find meaning in their experiences, cope with emotional challenges, and maintain a sense of purpose. These findings are consistent with previous research showing that spirituality can promote resilience, especially when facing unexplained or stressful experiences.

The study also contributes to the understanding of how spiritual beliefs can intersect with mental health. In societies where beliefs in reincarnation are common, some individuals may interpret personal experiences through that lens. For those who feel isolated or misunderstood because of their memories, the lack of social or clinical support could lead to increased suffering.

“Since we began promoting the research to recruit participants, we noticed a great acceptance from the general public, as well as from the press,” Carvalho said. “This indicated to us that the topic was of interest to the public and that it met some expectation or need of theirs. We received accounts from people living in five other countries, such was the impact of the research. And, as we have representatives from 22 of the 26 Brazilian states, this leads us to a first conclusion: past-life memories are a frequent experience in our country and, for this reason, they should not be pathologized a priori.”

“The highly educated profile of our sample indicates that spiritual experiences are not necessarily associated with people with low levels of education and limited critical thinking, as is often propagated in common sense.”

But there are some limitations to note. As a cross-sectional study, the findings cannot determine whether the memories themselves caused the mental health symptoms, or whether other factors played a role. The sample may not represent all Brazilian adults, as participants were self-selected and likely more interested in spiritual topics. Most had access to technology and higher education, which may not reflect the broader population.

“As a cross-sectional study, it is not possible to infer causality from our findings, and any extrapolation of the results should be done judiciously, since the majority of the sample is Christian,” Carvalho noted. “Our high-educated sample is probably due to a selection bias of our online method of participation. Another limitation of the study is that the prevalence of alleged past-life memories is still unknown in the Brazilian population.”

Still, this research provides one of the first large-scale looks at how adults process and live with alleged memories of past lives. It suggests there may be unmet psychological needs in this group, especially among those who experience fear or confusion related to their memories.

The authors note that mental health professionals should be prepared to discuss such experiences with cultural sensitivity. “Our findings indicate the need to train professionals to 1) identify and support individuals who claim past-life memories, so that they feel comfortable sharing their experiences and the impact they have on their lives, 2) understand how individuals integrate these experiences into their daily lives and 3) encourage religious/spiritual mechanisms of coping as well as others that can minimize or reframe their negative impacts.”

Long-term, the research team hopes to explore the personal narratives behind these memories in more depth. “We are preparing a qualitative paper with analyses of the alleged memories and their impact on the lives of the participants and their families,” Carvalho explained. “We plan a subsequent article in which we will analyze the results by groups of participants with spontaneous and induced memories, and by the stages of development in which the memories occurred (childhood, adolescence, or adulthood).”

“Longitudinal studies on the development of alleged memories and mental health, and studies on adults from different cultures are some goals to be achieved.”

The study, “Who Does Report Past-Life Memories? Claimers’ Profile, Religiosity/Spirituality and Impact on Happiness and Mental Health,” was authored by Sandra Maciel de Carvalho, Jim Tucker, and Alexander Moreira-Almeida.