Pathological Demand Avoidance, or persistent driver for autonomy, refers to an intense, automatic nervous system response to both direct and indirect demands. This is not a conscious choice but rather a form of self-protection. For individuals with PDA, demands, whether external requests or internal expectations, can feel overwhelming, triggering the fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response.

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a profile of Autism characterised by an intense need for autonomy and a heightened sensitivity to demands, which can feel overwhelming or intrusive.