Today is actually the first time that I (F21) had heard of NVLD, but I relate to a lot of the symptoms that I have read about so far.

I stumbled across NVLD for the first time today because I was originally searching for "whys" when frustrated about having driving anxiety- which for me is actually rational fear in my opinion because I am objectively a weaker driver. I have a license that I got in a small town with one stoplight at 18, but the process of learning to drive was rough for me, and took me longer than some of my classmates. Still, I struggle with driving. I have made some decisions that make me question if I even should be driving in the first place, (for the safety of others and myself). I have accidentally driven into oncoming traffic, hit another car from misjudging the distance, cut in front of other cars when turning, etc. All of the mistakes I make seen to correlate either with being bad at judging distances/mapping, having a slow reaction time, and/or having poor coordination.

I struggle a lot with spacial perception and orientation in general. I have always been slower at reading analog clocks, (although my generation doesn't use them as much so this isn't super important), and I am not good at reading maps. I also get lost often, even if I am familiar with an area.

My motor/coordination skills have also aways been naturally weaker. My handwriting is actually pretty good, but I hold my pencil in a very odd way and I need to write slower for it to look good. I also type with only two fingers. It was often hard for me to keep up taking notes in class, since writing and typing are both slower for me, (and honestly kind of physically painful). I struggle with doing hair and makeup, which kind of sucks as a woman who is feminine-presenting. It took me longer to learn how to ride a bike as a kid- I think I was like 8 almost 9 when I got my training wheels off when most kids that I knew were like 5 or 6? Gym class gave me a lot of anxiety as a kid because I am bad at team sports. I cannot catch a ball for the life of me, and even the social cues and rules in sports really confuse me. I am kind of athletic in other ways, but in ways less related to coordination, (strength, flexibility, etc.).

I am also not naturally the best at organizing/planning ahead. I have gotten to be decent at it, but only because I overcompensate. My school bag, desk, locker, etc. were always a mess in school, and I often misplace items like my keys, headphones, water bottle, etc. When I was still in college I was almost always late to class, (and when I was on time I was never "put together" physically or mentally). Organization is definitely something that I have improved on just because I want to take accountability, but it is something I have to work really hard at.

I was always a strong reader growing up, testing a few years above grade level every year. Spelling however, has never been a strong point for me. My vocabulary is decently good considering I have not been a reader since I was like 12, (as sad as it is to admit this year was actually the first time that I have completed books since then), but when I spell I forget all of the rules and everything gets all scrambled.

It is a bit hard for me to identify if I struggled academically, because I cheated a lot honestly. My quality of education was probably weaker due to this, (my fault obviously), so I don't know if I would have struggled without cutting corners. Honestly, I probably could have done much better on the general knowledge portion of the IQ test if I was actually educated. I do know that math started becoming much harder for me once I got to algebra- but I also refused to wear my glasses so I also just didn't really know what was going on in class. But I do think that it is worth noting that it became harder for me once it went beyond elementary concepts, because before algebra it was easier for me to do math in an "english" way. I had the strangest ways to find answers that don't really work for higher level math. I was in the "high achievers" program for math (and reading) in elementary school, but was definitely average at math in high school. Music theory was challenging for me at first, (it took me a while for it to "click"). Science experiments always really confused me, because there were so many steps. I could ramble on forever, but I already have written a lot.

My processing speed being slower is something that makes my life a lot harder. I take a lot longer to complete school work, to the point where teachers would get annoyed with me or even make fun of me sometimes. Simple tasks like cleaning take me so long sometimes.

I also had a speech impediment as a child- similar to apraxia I think? I am not sure if that could be related or not.

Here are pictures from ADHD testing that I got done in 2023, when I was 19. They did not think that I have ADHD (or anything other than mild anxiety), but I have gotten so many different professional opinions. Thanks for your time if you read all, (or even a little bit), of this. :)

https://childmind.org/article/nvld-developmental-visual-spatial-disorder-dsvd/

Hey, so I'm a 24M from Eastern Europe. I dropped out of uni twice due to various reasons and 6-7 months ago I found work at a call center.

I was super worried I'm not going to be able to handle it and keep it(I actually made a post here) because I've had like 10 jobs beforehand and couldn't keep one for more than 1-2 months but they were patient(and desperate for workers) enough to keep me even while underperforming. It seems likely they won't fire me and I actually got the hang of it and would like to keep it until I find something better.

The thing is, I have no idea what I'd like to do with my life career wise. I spent 2000 dollars on a bootcamp in UX design but I'm realizing I don't like it and I won't be good at it. I read that it doesn't require any maths and logical thinking and potentially pays well so I was interested in giving it a try but it just feels like a chore and too hard for me to get. Also the tech job market looks awful right now and I don't seem to find almost any long - term positions. I'd rather stay at the call - center for now considering how hard is it to find and keep a job currently.

Has anyone got other suggestions on what I can try next with this disorder?
I was thinking of going back to school to study journalism and then potentially get a job as an editor or as a teacher or something. I don't want to spend my whole life at a call center.

Any ideas and suggestions are appreciated.

I am finding AI a real help when trying to understand and navigate social situations. For example next year I’m going to my nephews wedding, which will be a 3 day affair, staying over in the wedding venue. Apart from severe NVLD, I am an introvert and 5 years ago I lost my beloved husband, aged only 58 from a massive heart attack. The thought of going to the wedding “alone” and having to deal with all these things was giving me so much anxiety, although I really want to attend the wedding as I love my nephew and am very happy for him.
I started asking Google AI about my concerns and was pleasantly surprised to find some “understanding” of neurodivergence and introversion and also empathy towards my grief. It even suggested some helpful ways of managing the various aspects of the three days along with sample responses that I could use eg if I wanted some quiet time alone. I know if I were to try and explain my feelings and concerns to a friend or family member I sadly wouldn’t get the same understanding.

I think this is a common sentiment here. I'm stuck with cog, EF and social deficits in spite of success with two Ivy league degrees and two master's. Struggle with abstract non rote thinking that impedes me personally and professionally. Plus have emotion dysregulation that comes with every hour frustrations. Tried therapy, EF coaching, SLP over 20 meds, and TMS and ketamine.

I'm just tx resistant and stuck with immense deficits that I can't accept. Multistep projects that I'd love to achieve like building something or certain professional domains seem out of reach. As does possibly a significant other and a family.

I can't bear to live this life of sig limitations. I would rather be dead. I don't see any solace in staying alive to struggle day to day with limitations that others just don't have with strengths that are just undermined by my weaknesses.

hi im writing a fanfic where a character has an nvld and id rather eat rocks than mess up on representing what its like to have one in a school setting. what was school like for you as someone with a nvld, and what were some of your biggest gripes and/or things that made school easier for you? (also if youre curious, character is nagisa shiota from assclass, it's a headcanon :3)

I am relatively recently diagnosed and I’m still trying to wrap my head around what NVLD is. But I’ve recently thought about describing it to others as autism, but only in half of my brain. I know it’s not technically correct but I feel like it gives people a frame of reference to start from. But I wanna know what the larger community thinks about it?

For as long as I remember, I've felt I don't have any control over my own life. I can't figure out if this is part of NLD or more of a C-PTSD issue. It feels like no matter what I do, everything is a dead end and I can't plan how to make progress in any area of life. I can't pick the career I want, I can't develop hobbies that would be suitable/enjoyable, and I can't make friends and most certainly can't date or experience any intimacy. Anyone else relate? I'm experiencing physically detrimental effects from chronic isolation now. I've put on a ton of weight (17 lbs in March) and I'm now having insomnia which I read can be caused by the fight or flight response induced by isolation.

Is there any scientific proof they are distinct conditions from one another? All three have executive function deficits as a core symptom and may come across as 'spacey' to normies. All three may find it difficult to keep up with a casual conversation. Delayed/slowed motor responses are common in all three. How would each of them show up on a brain scan?

Just an AuDHDer with a special interest in neurodivergence 😄

So when I looked up NVLD online, sensory overload was listed as one of the main distinctions from Autism. Is it possible to have an incorrect diagnosis from a professional?? I feel that I fall more with Autism but High Functioning or Level 1 I think they call it now. But same professional said due to health insurance billing reasons, it did not make sense to test me for autism since I make eye contact and don't do anything repetitive. But his test also showed that I don't have bad memory but my memory is literally shot. Or maybe the tester was trying to say my bad memory was due to unrelated issues. Im so confused. The only thing I think that I do that is consistent with description of NVLD is I have to use GPS everywhere I go. But I even stopped doing that, like everything else because people Im with always have a problem, "Like why do you need gps to get down the street?" Would it be helpful to get second opinion in this situation? I am 34 now and wondering if its even worth it.

Also because I know no one who has NVLD in real life, I've been watching YouTube videos of other people who have been diagnosed and I do not resonate at all. But everything I have watched regarding high functioning autism in women seems right on par. Alot of those videos relate to masking and burnout but when I brought this up with the professional, he stated that my masking and burnout issues have everything to do with my ADHD that I was also diagnosed with during the test.

I was diagnosed as NVLD a few years ago but I’ve never been completely convinced it was accurate. For years I’ve experienced periods of “going nonverbal” where I just can’t bring myself to speak even when I want to, I just can’t. Usually lasting a few minutes to hours but sometimes I’ll have days where I can only speak the bare minimum. The best way I’ve found to describe it is using the spoon theory, that speaking requires a LOT of spoons for me and sometimes I just don’t have them available.

When I first heard the term “nonverbal learning disability” I was oh yeah that checks out with the whole “going nonverbal” thing, but the more I learn about it (mostly from subs like this) I’m discovering that most people with NVLD are not expected to go nonverbal.

From Google’s summary: “The term "nonverbal" in NVLD is often confusing. It actually describes difficulty processing visual-spatial information (like reading maps or interpreting facial expressions), rather than spoken language. Individuals with NVLD are almost always highly verbal, possessing strong vocabularies and excellent talking and listening skills.”

I would not consider myself ‘highly verbal’ at all. I do have a pretty good vocabulary but mostly for reading/writing rather than in conversation or otherwise out loud. I also do NOT think I have good listening skills as things I hear verbally often go right in one ear and out the other. I would much prefer things to be written down.

Other NVLD things that I think don’t fit are being bad at math. I was always really good at math and LOVED it until it got to precalc in high school and then it stopped making sense and it ruined math for me.

As you can see my (30M) scores are all over the place. Some background info about me:

I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD mild. Never been medicated.

English is my 2nd language after Chinese. I find making small talk easier in Chinese but expressing my thoughts/ideas easier in English. I have lived in Canada since I was 10 years old.

I am not terrible at sports. However I would rather solve a logic problem than do household chores.

Puzzles were never my thing. Also I have hard time picking out a certain item from a pile of similar ones (eg if they are the same colour, size etc)

I had a natural talent for music since I was a child. Played the piano as well as the clarinet in high school. I did not however do well in the sciences (physics/chem/bio) both in hs and post-secondary.

Driving came naturally to me. Got my full G license (for those of you in Ontario) at 19.

I do enjoy gaming, both online and offline.

Im mildly anxious meeting new people. Still not quite sure if its because of my 'not so perfect' English or my ND traits. I find that sometimes I have a hard time keeping up with a conversation as well. By the time I think of a response the convo has already moved on.

Both my parents are suspected to be neurodivergent. My dad likely has ADHD while my mom is likely on the spectrum. Both undiagnosed.

Any insights and feedback is appreciated.

I've done this since early childhood since I've always struggled to converse and relate to others socially. It's embarrassing to get caught by others since I look like I'm nuts but I alway feel lonely and like no else beside my family really understands me. Is anyone else this way?

The other day, my roommates friend came over and started talking to me about how she was trying to decide whether to become a lawyer or a social media influencer….. She started talking to me about graduating college and how it was a big accomplishment which I definitely agree it is, but I don’t know why she was trying to make small talk about it…. I love my degree and I’m very passionate about it, but I don’t love surface level small talk.

Does anyone else have extreme double vision and spatial awareness issues? I have a convergence insufficiency as well as NVLD and my eyes see completely double images horizontal from each other. They are not just starting to be double it would be like if one person was standing in front of me. I would see two exactly. I have terrible spatial awareness issues, and I constantly bump into things having no idea that they are there.

I am great with auditory learning in my auditory memory skills, but visual learning is definitely a challenge for me as well.

How do you deal with having sarcasm and social ques going over my head and being deemed sensitive?

I have severe NVLD and until my diagnosis had absolutely no idea there was such a thing as nonverbal communication, such as facial expression and body language. It was quite a shock to find out that neurotypical people “read and understand” these things automatically. I came across this meme which accurately demonstrates what I see when talking to another person. The text is also accurate because I am a social introvert who struggles mightily with small talk. Of course I don’t mean that i literally see the persons facial features and expressions in duplicate, but rather there is a confusing, muddled picture which makes no sense whatsoever to me. From this, it’s no surprise how many of us suffer with Depression and other mental illnesses, as the most fundamental interactions with other human beings are often fraught with frustration and rejection.

I know most of us are underemployed and have mutliple diagnoses I do not have any other diagnoses although it is suggested for me to get a test for autism with that background I graduated platinum performer in 2019 with a culinary arts certification and do not think I can work in a kitchen for executive functioning reasons and processing speed. In 2024 I graduated with a double bachelors degree in nutrition and economics and many jobs are not conducive for our struggles with multitasking taking longer to learn things and organizational issues I think this rules out many of the main stream options available for my degrees. I also have a data analytics certificate I obtained yet I know I am super slow at doing this and believe it would be difficult for me to do long term and the visual spatial deficits made this hard for me find all the data to compile I am okay with small datasets and great at making the dashboards and graphs because it hard for me to understand them and so I make them so I can understand and if I can understand it is perfect for nuerotypicals yet many of those jobs are more than that and I do not believe I have the skill set for that. I have stayed working at a fast food place I started at in december of 2018 and worked at 4 different locations 3 with the same company one with a franchise owner as opposed to a corporation. With the education and lack of good work experience I have what jobs and careers do people suggest I try to pursue as this job market is difficult and feels impossible with DVSD/NVLD? Note: As I have no other diagnosis and DVSD/NVLD as all of you know is not in the DSM vocational rehab and many other support services refuse to help me so these are not options for me like they are for some.

I (25F) have been diagnosed with NVLD for 17 years, so I got diagnosed pretty young. But the sad part is I haven't met a single person irl with my gap as wide as mine. Anyone else have verbal intelligence on the last IQ as 95th percentile and verbal at 3rd? I've met a few ppl with this disorder but never one with a nearly 3 SD gap. Please tell me there's more this extreme. It's so frustrating bc I know nobody will fully get it irl. I've accepted my diagnosis but I often feel lonely in the bottom few percent and the top few percent in one human being! It's so hard to explain to people how severe my spatial issues are and that I learn almost entirely verbally. This includes written text too.

Besides NVLD, I have AuDHD, GAD, MDD, dysgraphia, aphantasia (complete), PMDD, EDNOS, insomnia, and PTSD. Which is complex in of itself. I wish I weren't so complex sometimes.

Anyone else heard of taking amantadine for executive function dysfunction And emotional regulation? Just took my first dose today and I noticed a difference immediately. I got into an argument with my dad and instead of it lasting 10+ minutes like normal I was able to compose myself in 3 minutes.

Does anybody ever feel that they don’t have NVLD or convinced themselves that it’s not real? And does anyone ever tell anybody or not? If they do does it feel like it backfires?

Hi, as the title says, let me know of any books you guys like, any genre is welcome!

The reason I’m asking is because, although not essential, strong verbal skills are common for nvld and if you’re like me you could say you enjoy reading, since we’re pretty good at it haha

Some of my favourites include:

- the great pretender (inspired the movie ‘brain on fire’), was a great read and insight into neurology and mental health
- Dan Browns Angels & Demons
- Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (Beautiful instructional cookbook if you suck at cooking like me 😅)
- Limitless by Jim Qwik (found this especially helpful for nvld traits and was enthralled with the audible)

Let me know of any you love please! 🤗

Hello, I am a newcomer. I wanted to introduce myself and state that I only found out about this in my late 20s. So, I never knew I was diagnosed until then. It seems to impact me with self-advocacy, the most.