Is being put under a general anesthetic akin to being dead?...................................................

Question

Afterall, you're unconscious in both cases...right?

Answer 1

Nope. In fact, we go to great lenghts to make sure that you are NOT dead. That's pretty much my whole job.

When you are dead, you do not have any brain activity. Under anesthesia, you do. That's the most critical difference.

In some situations, people's hearts and lungs are stopped (cardio-pulmonary bypass), but perfusion of the organs is maintained. Not so with death.

You're unconscious when you sleep. Is that like being dead? General anesthesia is a drug induced state of unconsciousness.

Answer 2

No, because anesthetic has 3 parts and none of them apply to the total stoppage of the heart and lungs that death involves. Anesthesia includes blocking pain, blocking muscle spasm or reaction, and blocking memory. All of these can be done without stopping breathing. General anesthetic is more like a coma.
In some (rare) operations, the body is chilled and the heart stopped for a fairly short time (in heart transplants, a heart lung machine takes over circulation.) The person is then, in fact, dead with no brain function, breathing, or heart action. The chilling prevents cellular deterioration so that when the heart is shocked back into action and the body warmed, it functions.

Answer 3

I would say it's more like being asleep.

But I've had it a couple of times and I didn't dream. Also, it comes on very fast. You can feel yourself falling asleep but with general anesthetic you never see it coming. The Dr. told me to count backwards from 100. I said '100. 99. 98' and then I woke up in the recovery room. It was more like time travel than sleep.

But still, if I woke up after I died I'd be very surprised and maybe a little pissed off. So it wasn't like that.

Answer 4

No because under general anesthesia you are simply asleep with normal organ function where as when you are dead your organs are not functioning. Think of it like going to sleep and waking up to realize it is already morning. That quick. I didn't even dream. At least I don't remember dreaming. The last thing I remember was scooting my body over to lay center on the operating table. Very weird. The best sleep I cant remember.

Answer 5

general anesthesia is a procedure done to deaden one's 5 senses. being dead is actually not having any of the 5 sensory faculties. So, yes. I was subjected to such procedure on May 5, 2005 when I underwent a critical Aortic Valve Replacement in New Jersey. The chief nurse said to me when she awakened me after 12 long hours, that I have been very "still" and "quiet" in the operating table. lol!

Answer 6

No, not like dead.
Under anesthesia the patient is breathing with aid BUT the heart is still beating--heartbeat means non-dead
You are unconscious while asleep, but you are not dead then. Although my second wife was.

Answer 7

No one knows what it really actually feels like to be dead,they may say so,but there is really no proof,so with that being said,i believe,that being under anesthesia would be similar to being only asleep.

Answer 8

No- when you're dead your brain and heart and everything completely stops all activity. Anesthestia just slows it wayyyyyy down i think. Thats why they get paid so much- they need to know how much is enough so they dont kill people accidentally.

Answer 9

anesthesia just blocks all the pain signal going up the spinal cord to the brain. since the pain signals are not going to get to the brain there is no perception of pain.

Answer 10

Hmmmm; I'll stick to the catherb :)~
BYOB- bring your own bong