Pathological demand avoidance

PDA refers both to the trait of entrenched demand avoidance and a broader neurodivergent profile which includes other traits, and fits the DSM-5's autism spectrum disorder classification. The PDA profile is characterised by entrenched demand avoidance that was present from birth, high need for personal control, high ambient anxiety, interest in people which may be obsessive, using creative and/or social strategies to avoid demands, fondness for novelty, propensity for role-play and/or fantasy. There is much confusion about what PDA is (for example, see the entry added for PDA in the traumatic autistic traits section in this wiki). The confusion about what PDA is comes partly from the fact that little research has so far been carried out, and partly from many people assuming it's only the trait it's named for. However, adults who identify as PDA do so strongly. This entry has been written by an adult who actually identifies as PDA in conjunction with the adult PDA community.