Although considered by most as an Autistic profile there are those of us who do not see PDA in this way and believe it is in fact a separate ‘neurotype’. It has been known about since the early 1980s and the term was introduced by Elizabeth Newson, describing it as ‘resistance and avoidance of the everyday responsibilities, even when it is beneficial for them to comply’. A PDA individual might share a lot of the same characteristics that lead to a person being identified as Autistic, but there are some very distinct differences. Things such as routines and structures that are assumed will support the person might actually be strongly resisted and avoided, especially if they are not from the person themselves or involving them and they can be experienced as demands.

 

Known as ‘Pathological demand avoidance’ but many prefer ‘Persistent drive for autonomy’or ‘Pervasive demand for autonomy’, although this still doesn’t feel quite right. A PDAer has a very highly sensitive nervous system that reacts strongly to any loss of physical, psychological or emotional autonomy. They experience avoidance and resistance of anything that is experienced as a demand and this includes internal as well as external demands, both can be experienced as a threat because the nervous system reads them as a loss of autonomy. They also do not feel safe within any hierarchical systems, where they might experience a constant sense of not having agency and equity.

 

Many PDAers can be more internalised and might not express their distress of losing autonomy outwardly, but rather might turn in against themselves. Their distress might show up in some individuals as self harm, eating related issues or even addictions, etc. They might not show their deep distress in the same way as a PDAer who is externalised but they will be feeling equally as unsafe. SOme PDAers can be internalised as well as externalised.

 

Their avoidance might be expressed in various ways, such as what are known as social strategies: feigning illness or injury, fibs, excuses, lying, fantasy, delaying, diverting or even making threats. What might seem like defiance and non-compliant behaviour is actually the sign they are extremely distressed, anxious and scared. PDAers can also be very other people focussed (real or imagined) which might become overwhelming and for some this can sometimes become obsessional. A PDAer’s sense of fairness, equity and justice sensitivity can be overwhelmingly intense and can be something they experience about other people as well as regarding themselves. They can be absorbing 

the emotions of others in an environment like a canary in the coalmine which can be exhausting for them.

 

Many mistakenly think PDA is about wanting control over people, being oppositional and vindictive; this can mean many are misdiagnosed with Oppositional defiance (ODD) or a conduct disorder. People who are Black are still disproportionately more likely to be misdiagnosed with ODD rather than PDA or also other neurodivergence such as ADHD.

 

PDAers are very independent thinkers, having their own agenda from a young age. Due to their sensitive nervous system and often feeling unsafe within themselves they may often need the safety from connection with a trusted and safe person, which for a child might be one of their parents in particular. There might only be a few people they trust and feel safe or safer with. Despite being more socially driven a PDAer can struggle to ‘find their place’ in a social hierarchy, including within a family, with friends and within society. This is mostly due to the need for a level playing field and for there to be fairness and justice. For some PDAers role-playing, being a person, character or role they play, may feel safer than being themselves. Children might become an animal in role-play for example..

 

PDAers can be in a near constant state of hypervigilance, regularly experiencing fight, flight. This is often because an environment where they spend prolonged periods of

time, the systems and the people within them are inadvertently (usually) taking their autonomy. There is a huge cost for the PDAer and can mean they not only experience burnout but may be more likely to experience chronic burnout.