Demand Avoidance

An inner resistance to perceived demands — even self-imposed ones — that can lead to inability to start, change, or complete tasks. Demand avoidance is associated with an autism profile sometimes called Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) in the UK, and more recently reframed by autistic communities as Persistent Drive for Autonomy. It is distinct from procrastination or laziness and is often triggered by loss of control, nervous-system dysregulation, or cumulative cognitive load. For digital-accessibility design, demand avoidance implies that rigid reminders, nags, streaks, and required-action flows can be counterproductive; providing user-controlled pacing, optional prompts, and low-stakes re-entry points supports users with PDA profiles and, more broadly, users with ADHD, anxiety, or intermittent capacity.