How to Not Say Stupid Things after Anesthesia. And Why It's Actually OK

We have all heard stories about people being under anesthesia and when they come off it, something they say sparks the funniest tales you can find on the internet. Whether this is some statement that makes as much sense as “I am Groot” or a sound that should never have come out of a human being, there is sure to be a story about it on the internet amongst the many that people talk about their experience with anesthesia.

That being said, is there a way to avoid saying stupid things after anesthesia? As in some of these stories, we have read about heartbreaking things being said from one relative to another or one lover to another.

We have read insults being hurled at loved ones that you would never have considered saying when you are in the right mind. Needless to say, these situations have caused a crook in the relationships of many, even if only in a minor way.

Read more to find out how to not say stupid things after anesthesia, and why it is actually OK to say something stupid after anesthesia after all.

When will you be put under anesthesia?

Before you fret further about whether or not you will say stupid things after anesthesia and how to avoid doing so, it’s better to know if you will ever be in a situation where you would need anesthesia.

Anesthesia is commonly administrated during medical procedures that would cause the patient a level of pain that would make them react to it in a way that affects the procedure. Say if you were ever to get surgery on a broken body part, you will be put under anesthesia to make sure you don’t thrash around in pain when the surgeon starts operating on you, and your body doesn’t die of shock when they do.

Apart from surgeries, the most common procedure that requires anesthesia and that you could come in contact with is getting your wisdom teeth removed. And this is also the main procedure that caused the plethora of funny and embarrassing stories about people coming off anesthesia on the internet.

Do people actually say stupid things after anesthesia?

Many things on the internet aren’t real. They might have come from a place of truth, but stories can be exaggerated when retold. But people do have a tendency to say things they might not say after anesthesia. Whether these things are stupid or not though entirely depends on what you say, who you say it to, and how you say it, of course.

Why will you say stupid things after anesthesia?

This is because anesthesia interferes with your brain in a way that makes sure you don’t feel or think during the painful procedure you are about to go through. And when you wake up after the procedure, you don’t wake up all at once but in stages.

So, there might be a time when your brain is still cloudy and functions at half its normal speed as you wake up from anesthesia. This is the period when you will most likely say something stupid.

Think about when you wake up in the morning. It will usually take you a few moments to be completely awake, and a few more to get you out of your bed. Your brain does the same when you wake up from anesthesia. And normal unconscious inhibitions that you might have, usually social inhibitions, might not be as sharp as they usually are.

Why it’s actually OK to say stupid things after anesthesia

If you are worried you will embarrass yourself by saying something you should not have or revealing some deep secret about yourself or another person who has entrusted their secrets to you after anesthesia, we are here to say that it is completely normal and OK to say these things after anesthesia.

Simply because you have no physical control over your brain after it’s been under anesthesia. There is a reason why this is a drug, and it can only be administered to patients by professionally trained medical personnel. And it is practically the drug’s job to interfere with how you normally act in order to get you through a procedure safely.

If you are worried that you might reveal something to your doctor about your friends or family that you shouldn’t have, you can stop worrying. Even if your doctor learns of this big secret, they are obliged to keep this secret with you due to medical confidentiality.

Unless what you reveal is directly threatening your life or someone else’s life, it’s unlikely your doctor will snitch on whatever secret you tell.

If you’re worried about what you might say to your family or friends after being on anesthesia, then there are a few things you can do to make sure what you eventually reveal will do the least damage to those involved.

How to not say stupid things after anesthesia

We have already mentioned that it is probably impossible for someone to control how their brain acts after being on anesthesia. And so, these methods are mainly to prevent the things you might say after anesthesia to be heard or affecting anyone close to you instead of stopping you from saying them in the first place.

1) Wait in the clinic or hospital until you are completely alert

Depending on what procedure you are getting, and where you are getting it, you may request to remain in your hospital room or the clinic until the effects of anesthesia on your mind have passed.

If you are waking up from a surgery at a hospital, this might be a little harder or easier to do depending on what procedure you’ve received. However, your friends and family are sure to be eager to see you. And maybe saying a few stupid things after surgery when you are coming off of anesthesia might be worth it to ease your loved ones’ worry after a procedure.

Sometimes, however, the hospital will prevent visitors from seeing you after your procedure in order to monitor your condition. In that case, you won’t have to worry about saying stupid things after anesthesia, because no one would be around to hear them.

If you are waking up from something a little less serious, like getting a few wisdom teeth removed, then it might be a little hard to wait for the effects of anesthesia to pass completely before heading home. You can always ask your doctor beforehand if you can do so. It never hurts to try.

2) Ask someone you trust completely to pick you up

If you really can’t stay and wait for the effects of anesthesia to pass before heading home, you can ask someone you trust completely to pick you up. Someone that won’t be offended if they hear something blunt or brutally honest from you, or someone that won’t be affected by any secrets you keep, and which you might spill after anesthesia.

You can also ask for them to stay with you and keep other friends and family away until you are completely alert again.

3) Warn your friends and family ahead of time

If you can do none of these things to prevent those involved from hearing whatever you’re going to say, then all you can do is warn them ahead of time. Call up your friends and family and tell them you might act a little off-character for a few hours. People are usually rather accommodating when they hear that someone they care about is undergoing some procedure.

And when they know anesthesia is involved, people usually know what to expect afterward. Who knows? They might even find it amusing and camera-worthy and will record your funny behavior for you to watch after you have completely woken from the effects of the drug.

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