The Insider Guide to PDA

This primer explains what PDA is, how it manifests, and what you can do to minimise its impact. It explores its interaction with other forms of neurodivergence, potential misdiagnosis as other conditions and disorders, and how it actually feels in reality. It also highlights the positives of PDA life, as shared by other PDAers and their loved ones.

Sally Cat is a consultant, speaker, and leading expert on internalised PDA. She is the author of PDA by PDAers, Pathological Demand Avoidance Explained, Sleep Misfits, and Calendar Girl. Sally runs the Sally Cat Facebook page, which supports over 40,000 PDAers.

Brook Madera (No Pressure PDA) lives in Oregon and is PDA North America’s liaison for PDA lived experience and social media. Brook runs the Facebook groups No Pressure PDA and PDA USA: Pathological Demand Avoidance. Brook was a key speaker at PDA North America’s 2024 conference in Chicago.

Both authors are PDA with PDA children of their own, giving them first-hand insight into what being PDA is.