What happens when your sense of 'self' completely dissolves? Ego death is reported in psychedelic experiences, meditation, near-death events, and extreme sports. It's terrifying, transformative, and neuroscience is finally explaining why.
Your ego isn't arrogance — it's your brain's story about who you are. Your name, your job, your beliefs, your memories — all stitched together into a narrative called 'me.' Ego death is when that story stops.
In neuroscience, the 'ego' or sense of self is maintained by the Default Mode Network (DMN) — a set of brain regions that are active when you're thinking about yourself, your past, your future, and your social identity.