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Pathological demand avoidance treatment12/28/2023 ![]() ![]() If it’s just one or two things that are being avoided then it’s more likely to be autistic DA. It’s hard to see sometimes how much a PDAer avoids from the outside, so understanding whether it’s ADA or PDA might involve the individual ascertaining just what the problems are. With ADA, it’s more likely to be specific things which are avoided, not everything on the planet. This is why therapies such as exposure therapy would never work, because it’s impossible to make a person ‘okay’ with everything in life. It’s a need to avoid anything and everything. Whilst this is accurate it doesn’t quite convey just how deep DA runs. More than everyday demands – in some of the criteria for PDA it states that they ‘avoid everyday demands’. ![]() Generally, if you can see a long line of demand avoidant people with autistic traits then it’s more likely to be PDA. ![]() It’s a bit like hair colour, brown being PDA and very obvious that there’s a genetic line, red being autism and can be seen in every family member or just one for centuries. Genetics – PDA and autism are both genetic (I feel), though there is an obvious line of PDA in PDA families, autism can in some families seem to come out of nowhere. Was DA always there? Did it show from a young age? Did something major trigger it? Sometimes just looking back to childhood can give people an idea of whether it’s ADA or PDA. Some may be born more susceptible to DA but it won’t show until the anxiety becomes too much for them to manage. With ADA, while the autism is there from birth as they are born autistic, the DA won’t be. For some the avoidance is obvious from a young age whereas for others it is only noticed once the demands become too many for them to handle, usually after starting school. Nature/nurture – PDA is there from birth, PDAers are born with a natural need to avoid things. So for some it is vital they have an accurate understanding of where an issue originates. Autistic parenting can be quite different from PDA parenting so using the ‘wrong’ strategies could have a negative impact on the individual. For some though, not having a full understanding of where the issues are stemming from can cause problems with mismanagement. This isn’t always an issue if the people around such individuals are able to cater to their individual needs. Similarly, some PDAers are able to mask their difficulties so well and their avoidance shows as ‘quiet avoidance’ such as walking away or ignoring demands, that the PDAer will be seen as an autistic person struggling in certain situations. Some people have such high avoidance levels that it appears the same as PDA, especially since both have autistic traits and avoidance ranges in how it appears, it can be difficult to tell whether a person is autistic and experiencing DA or is a PDAer. So how do we tell whether a person has Autistic Demand Avoidance or PDA? We know PDA DA is the highest of any other neurotype, this is shown by the trait ‘resists demands obsessively’, with 100% of PDAers meeting this trait. For some autistics, DA is so severe it impacts every moment of their life. Even when treated in the best way possible the autistic may still experience DA from various sensitivities, such as avoiding wearing socks due to them feeling sore and itchy. For autistics, the world can go against them and so they are left feeling anxious and scared about many things. Neurology, environment, experience can all contribute to the amount of DA a person experiences.Īutistic people are more likely to experience DA than neurotypical people due to heightened sensitivities, misunderstanding general societal rules and possible mismanagement. For some neurotypes though, DA is more prevalent. Every person on the planet will avoid at least one thing in their lifetime. People may leave these things to the last minute then panic and sort it in a rush. Many people experience Demand Avoidance (DA), usually in regards to things like filling in tax forms or buying new furniture. Autistic Demand Avoidance vs Pathological Demand Avoidance (ADA vs PDA). ![]()
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