PDA and the Power Struggle Within: Why Being Told to Do Anything Feels Like a Trap

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Welcome back to Divergent Paths, the podcast that explores neurodivergent life beyond the stereotypes. In this episode, host Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. dives deep into one of the most misunderstood aspects of neurodivergence—Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), sometimes reframed as a Persistent Drive for Autonomy.

If you’ve ever irrationally resisted a task—even one you actually want to do—this episode is for you. Together with co-host Russ Catanach, Regina unpacks the emotional toll of PDA, how it’s often masked, and what it means to work with your nervous system instead of agains ...