Sally Cat PDA

This blog post is co-authored with Brook Madera, also known as No Pressure PDA , and was originally published on PDA North America's website [ LINK ] Regardless of age, interpersonal stress is a hallmark of PDA. It can be possible to smooth relationships by reducing triggers or, in other cases, realising that a behaviour isn't going to go away and taking steps to limit damage from it. As authors who are PDA ourselves and the moms of PDA kids, we know first-hand that one size doesn't fit all with PDA and that it helps to know what the drivers are behind relationship friction. Care warning: Discussion of narcissism. Emotional dysregulation According to Web MD, emotional dysregulation is: “a term used to describe an emotional response that is poorly regulated and does not fall within the traditionally accepted range of emotional reaction. It may also be referred to as marked fluctuation of mood, mood swings, or labile mood.” [LINK] PDA people are so prone to emotional dysregul...

Introduction Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) research has solely focused on its external manifestations, neglecting those of us who internalise our stresses. Internalised PDA tends to go unnoticed. Our meltdowns are concealed and our demand avoidance is carried out subtly, so that we slip under the radar. However, it’s crucial to recognise that internalised PDA isn’t “less” than externalised PDA; like an iceberg, much of our experience is hidden beneath the surface. The Hidden Struggles of Internalisers The driving forces behind internalised PDA are as intense as those experienced by externalisers. This often leads to severe consequences, such as self-harm, school or work dropout, and even suicidal thoughts. It’s essential to spotlight the internalised aspects of PDA, as our ability to mask and conceal our traits results in a lack of understanding from those around us. A Guided Tour Through Internalised PDA This article invites you to explore the lesser-known aspects of PDA, partic...

Most people have likely heard of the Fight, Flight, Freeze trio of adrenaline responses, but there are four more F responses which are less well-known: Flop, Fawn, Funster and Fib. I think knowledge of all seven F responses is important in relation to PDA (the pathological demand avoidance neurotype) because we PDAers are naturally prone to ultra-high anxiety. Our naturally high anxiety causes adrenaline to keep on pumping through our systems to trigger these responses. It may seem to casual observers that our F reactions are baseless and/or contrived to attract attention, but the underlying reality is that these behaviours are driven by blind panic, and we have no control over them. So let's explore them one by one: Fight is, perhaps, the easiest F response for people to grasp, because triggered adrenaline causes visible aggression. Happiful.com describe the Fight response as "Your muscles tense, you start to sweat, your heart beats faster – you act on impulse to save and...