During a two-hour conversation with a mother whose 20-year-old daughter has inattentive ADHD, she expressed deep concern over her daughter’s lack of ownership in not completing exams. Her frustration is understandable.

For those who have known me since my teenage years, you’ll remember that I worked as a journalist across the UK, primarily on the outskirts of London as a crown court reporter. So when I see a significant rise in Google searches—53,000, to be exact—on topics like PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) and ADHD, I pay attention.

To support both the mother and daughter effectively, we must acknowledge that at some point, we’ve all been resistant or rebellious. Transparency and a grassroots approach will be key. By working together, we can create real, positive change.

When I came across the scientific paper by Sian Furgason, “What’s the Relationship Between Pathological Demand Avoidance and ADHD” (August 23, 2023), my curiosity was immediately piqued.

In this episode, I highlight the major gaps in this paper, particularly its lack of connection between ADHD and the DSM-5-TR. I also draw attention to the discrepancies between the 9th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) and Burnout—compared to the ICD-10 referenced in the study. The paper states, “PDA is thought to be a profile on the Autism Spectrum, but according to a 2018 study, there’s no consensus on whether PDA is a separate condition from Autism or a set of related symptoms.”

This raises an important question: why are such reports being published without conclusive evidence? They provide no real value to the 53,000 people searching for answers and support.

Mrs. Furgason, I’d love to invite you as a guest on my podcast to explore this topic in more depth.