Author: Andreas Hieronymus

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) PDA is a behavioral pattern where people—often autistic children—intensely avoid or resist demands and expectations, sometimes with panic, meltdowns, or clever excuses. It’s not defiance but overwhelming anxiety: even simple requests like “brush your teeth” feel like threats, triggering extreme stress. Seen as an autism profile, PDA is debated—some view it…