Many people who have BPD also
have a lesser-known condition
called Pathological Demand
Avoidance, a specific profile of autism only diagnosed in the UK.
Symptoms often include those of
what is traditionally thought of
as autism, alongside: even simple
demands/responsibilities/
activities (usually those with less immediate reward purpose, incentive or urgency) feeling agitating
or anxiety inducing leading to
avoidance, having delayed
social awareness but not
struggling with understanding
social situations as much as
most with autism, being excessively social, having a need
for control, difficulty making
decisions, acting different
around each person (lacking a
social identity) or lacking a sense of being perceived by
others, hating being controlled or told what to do implicitly or not, impulsivity and mood swings, being prone to anger or meltdown when pushed too far
(when combined with BPD this
can be explosive), utilizing lying/
manipulation to avoid doing
what is expected,
procrastinating doing entire
projects until right before the
deadline, and obsessing over
people (or fictional characters)
and their behaviors. Some
people with this disorder might argue seemingly without a purpose, even going so far as to attempt to bait people into arguments.
Others might be very agreeable and do what they believe they are wanted to as a means of exerting control over
how they are perceived. And
others often switch between the
two based on the situation or
who they are around. Keep in
mind each symptom/behavior
associated with PDA is likely to
be experienced inconsistently
and depend on the setting.
That all being said, while less common, autism without a PDA profile can occur with BPD as well.