Why we hallucinate after General Anesthesia ?

After general anesthesia, some patients may briefly see or hear things that are not real, and this can be surprising but is usually harmless. This happens because anesthesia does not work like normal sleep; instead, it temporarily disconnects different parts of the brain. When the anesthesia wears off, the brain does not wake up all at once—senses like sight and hearing may return before thinking and awareness are fully active. During this short period, the brain may mix dream-like activity with reality, leading to hallucinations.

 Some Drugs Are Famous for This 

Ketamine → very colorful, strange hallucinations

Strong painkillers (opioids) → weird sights or sounds

These drugs confuse how the brain connects senses + reality

or because the brain is still tired due to the surgery

After surgery, the brain may also deal with:

* Low oxygen

* Pain

* Stress

* No sleep

A tired brain makes more mistakes — including hallucinations.

 Is This Dangerous?

Usually NO, it’s temporary It goes away as the brain fully wakes up But if it lasts long or the patient is very confused, it requires reassurance rather than treatment