10.06.2017 by CV
Recently, my employer introduced me to the function on smartphones that allows emergency information to be accessed via the lock screen. I thought this appropriate to add, as I am autistic and subject to autistic shutdown - which anyone unfamiliar with autism could easily mistake for the symptoms of drug affectation, shock, head trauma, mental illness or intellectual disability. All of which autistic shutdown is not, and the treatment of which is very different.
I noted however that quite apart from useful information like an explanation and simple direction on how to handle it, this function also requires an emergency contact who can be called obviously in case of emergency.
I never understood this. I have this ridiculous discussion with medical personnel all the time.
If there is an emergency and I am injured or in shutdown, all that I would require is either medical intervention, which I would hope the attending emergency personnel are capable of giving, or in the case of shutdown, to be placed in a cool, dark, physically protected place for as long as it takes and not touched at all.
The very last thing I need is another person to be called. If this emergency contact were anyone I know, they would be able to provide precisely no useful aid, and all calling them would achieve is to expose my personal business to someone else in my life.
I have no unusual wishes in case of emergency which someone who was aware of those preferences would have to relay - such as DNR, no blood transfusions, etc. As far as I can understand, all that would be needed was an explanation for my possible behaviour in regard to autism, and a note of any allergies or medications.
What use is an emergency contact?
Medical people look at me as if I've lost my mind. Last time I was in hospital was for major abdominal surgery, and the admitting nurse simply could not understand why I refused to provide any contacts for any reason.
What if there was an emergency, she asks. I answered as above - I'm in a hospital. One hopes that would be sufficient. She frowned and said surely I would want someone to "be with you" in that case, and I began to understand this may be an alexithymic thing. Because no, someone to "be with you" would make no difference to me at all, apart from invade my privacy. I would much prefer no one cluttering up an already emergency situation I would be dealing with, and the appropriate people to simply repair the damage and leave me to deal with the people in my life when I was better able to.
Anyone else encountered this? Do you include emergency information? If so, why? Who do you list? If not why not?