Published on 12, July, 2020
Are there any adults on here with PDA? I'd really like to hear more about how this manifests. I've read the stuff on it on the site. What kinds of avoidance might be included in the condition and how severe does it get? Does it include everything or only certain activities for you? Would you include a "rigid reluctance to engage in life for your own benefit" beyond the avoidance of suggestions from others? Or is it very specific? Thanks.
Well I don't know whether you are still visiting the site, but I think I have some aspects of this condition. The "rigid reluctance" thing (I didn't see that, where was it on the site?) certainly applies to me. I don't really avoid things other people ask me to do, as long as they ask and don't demand, but trying to get myself to do things is difficult.
Thanks for your reply. Would have been nice to hear from others too but I guess it's not that common. I'm trying to differentiate between self sabotaging behaviour versus PDA and whether the too over lap in any way.
I had a difficult father like that, so maybe there is a relationship?
I suspect it does overlap, so maybe you don't need to differentiate. We can have all sorts of experiences and all sorts of labels, and it can take a long time to figure out which fits what. I think it's fine to consult the professionals and listen to them (and read stuff online if it's legitimate), but experts don't know everything, and they are getting most of their information from our experiences.
I always thought my self-sabotage came from childhood, from being made to feel "wrong" all the time, but now I wonder whether there was something else involved -- something resembling PDA. I still think my childhood was not that good -- it is possible that my father had his own version of PDA and we were both going around being frightened and angry all the time!