In some situations, the dying did not know these visitors were all ready dead. Maybe my loved one is imagining all of this. The above would be asimple explanation, but the DBV phenomenon isnt that cut and dry. Thousands of nurses and doctors were interveiwed about DBVs they had witnessed as death drew near. Except for a few religious differences, the DBVs of both of these cultures were incredibly similar.
Medications can certainly induce hallucinations.
Many of the individuals who have these visions are not on medications and are very coherent. Those who are on medications also report these visions, but the visions are similar to those who are not on medications. Finally, well, alert, sober family members and friends, of the dying have also reported DBVs. Hospice workers and healthcare providers have also reported DBV experiences. Often times a dying person will fixate their gaze on a particular area of the room.