Photo: Leonardo Luz

How is PDA treated in autism?

Treatment Options For Pathological Demand Avoidance Areas of need include sensory support, help with identifying emotions or managing anxiety, or support with speech and communication.

choosingtherapy.com - Pathological Demand Avoidance: Characteristics & Treatments

What does it mean if you don't cry when someone dies?

Just because you don't cry doesn't mean you're not grieving or that you don't care about the person who died. Some people simply don't tend to...

Last updated Aug 25, 2021

How do you know if someone is forcing themselves to love you?

6 signs he's forcing himself to love you He asks if you want a break. ... He avoids difficult topics because he doesn't want to make you mad. ......

Last updated Jul 15, 2019

Do you really know who the “One” is? Your true Soulmate?

Promotion

What Is Pathological Demand Avoidance?

Coined in the 1980s by British psychologist Elizabeth Ann Newsom, PDA isn’t a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5, but a subtype of autism that is gaining more recognition. All PDA individuals are autistic and can share common traits with members of the autistic population, including differences in communication, social interaction, sensory needs, and special interests or stimming; however, PDA also presents with more subtle social differences.1,2,3 PDA individuals express that while they may want to meet demands or expectations, they’re unable to do so. Ordinary tasks, such as eating in response to hunger cues or following directions in class, can invoke a sense of anxiety or dread, preventing the individual from meeting the demand. Sometimes they will “freeze” or find themselves in a state of fight or flight. In other cases, they may do the opposite of, or anything but, what would be an expected response.2 Because PDA individuals may not fit certain stereotypes about what autism is thought to “look” like, it isn’t uncommon for them to go undiagnosed/misdiagnosed for longer periods of time. Missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis is especially common for autistic girls and women who fit the PDA profile.4

Strengths of PDA Autism

PDA autistic individuals can be innovative, independent thinkers and often possess the trait of being autodidactic, preferring to learn on their own.5,6 Other strengths of PDA individuals include being sensitive, highly empathic and intuitive, determined, compassionate and humorous.7 In a shift away from viewing demand avoidance as purely pathological, PDA autistic adult and educator, Harry Thompson (as cited by Dr. Donna Henderson) often describes PDA instead as a “persistent drive for autonomy,” where any perceived threat to autonomy invokes an extreme anxiety response and action in an attempt to preserve it.5,6

PDA vs. Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Autistic children who fall under the PDA profile are often misdiagnosed as having oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). These profiles may look similar but are actually quite different and require different approaches. First, PDA is a presentation of autism, and PDA individuals will possess other autistic traits such as sensory issues, difficulty with executive functioning, or social differences.8 While ODD can have genetic and neurobiological factors, oppositional behavior in those with ODD is thought to stem from thoughts and emotions that may be angry or “negative” in nature, whereas PDA resistance to demands is a result of neurological wiring and brain chemistry.8 As PDA self-advocate Harry Thompson expresses, “ODD is more of an ‘I won’t.’ PDA is more of an ‘I can’t.’”9

What are karma mates?

Karma mates are those people in our life with whom we have agreed to work out issues from a previous life. They differ from soulmates or twin souls...

Last updated Nov 19, 2022

Which house is for wealth in astrology?

The primary houses which are analyzed to judge a person's wealth are 2nd, 6th and 10th house. The 2nd house depicts self-generated wealth, 6th...

Last updated Nov 6, 2019

Promotion

Is it possible to fall in love fast?

Some people tend to fall in love fast, easily, and often. This tendency is known as emophilia, formerly known as “emotional promiscuity.” It is...

Last updated Oct 16, 2022

Which zodiac fears being alone?

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) And that's not just because they like to socialize; it's because they don't want to meet their worst fear. “Cancer fears...

Last updated Jun 17, 2021

Promotion

Why do teacher crushes happen?

Sometimes the teachers will fulfill a need the student has, and that can lead to a crush. “Crushes can be healthy and positive. Students might find...

Last updated Jun 12, 2021

Promotion

How do you know when you have defeated a narcissist?

Here are the eight signs you never have to look back, because you are completely over the narcissist who was in your life: You don't care anymore....

Last updated Oct 27, 2022