Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is defined as when an individual goes to great lengths to evade or ignore “demands.” Although PDA is not a formal mental health diagnosis listed in the Diagnostic ...

This story is from The Pulse, a weekly health and science podcast. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Stella, 4, is smart, funny and has a lot of energy. Her verbal ...

Demand avoidance is a natural human behavior. To some degree, we all avoid doing things asked of us. We might avoid doing the dishes when our partner asks because the chore feels tedious or ...

“Task paralysis”, a type of emotional overwhelm that can stop people from completing tasks like doing the dishes, is a little more than just “regular” procrastination. Often associated with ADHD, it ...

Sophie, a 10-year-old, avoids straightforward tasks like getting dressed or doing homework. When her parents press her to comply, she might have a meltdown or withdraw to her room. At school, Sophie ...