In a previous post, I asked ‘what does healthy look like for a PDAer?’
My therapists opinion is that healthy looks like having choice. Freedom to choose to avoid or comply, rather than being ruled by nervous system activation and trauma responses.
I suppose that means then, that it must always be an option to say no. There’s only true choice if you have the freedom to choose to refuse. I often don’t trust that there will be that freedom in interactions with other people, because so often growing up it was absolutely not an option. Perhaps practicing saying no more frequently would help me trust that I can do that.
I wonder if I learnt to say ‘No’ more often, if it would help me choose to take on other demands in life as I’d feel more in control.
PDA fae 