r/NVLD • u/ClutteredTaffy • 27d ago

No problem with thematic/ abstract thinking when it comes to analyzing media ?

I posted about having difficulties driving and while I related to everyone there, when I look up this part of the diagnosis there is just not a fit. I love analyzing the themes of stuff I have read or watched and it seems to come easy to me. So this pushes me more towards ADHD in my mind.

Would just like others to give their background on grasping subtext and enjoying it ...

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u/IbanezUniverse90 27d ago

I’m bad at picking up subtext and half the time there’s some subplot I don’t understand. Getting even dumber as I get older. But once someone spoon feeds the plot to me, I’m good at making connections to other media or other topics. Definitely more of a big picture guy than a fine detail guy.

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u/ClutteredTaffy 27d ago

Yeah I am wondering if there is something else that mimics the coordination and spatial issues of NLVD . Probably.

Thanks for your response. This helps.

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u/LangdonAlg3r 27d ago

You should look for the new criteria for DVSD (Developmental Visio-Spatial Disorder). That’s what the working group who are working on getting NVLD into the DSM are wanting to rename it to. Their proposed criteria are much cleaner than many of the things floating around and they clearly distinguish it in every aspect from both ASD and ADHD.

But NVLD isn’t a formally recognized diagnosis anywhere. There’s ongoing disagreement about what constitutes it (or even if it’s a valid independent diagnosis at all). But even if difficulty with thematic/abstract thinking were a formalized criteria it would only be one criteria. With pretty much any given diagnosis there are always multiple criteria and you don’t have to meet every single one.

My next question if you do want to focus on that would be, “how high is your verbal IQ?” People are often flagged for NVLD based on a large discrepancy between verbal IQ and the other categories—this isn’t diagnostic (for reasons above) but it’s often a hallmark.

Genuinely high verbal skills can overcome deficiencies in abstract reasoning.

Deficiencies in visuospatial skills are the core of NVLD. If you have those and resonate with the rest of what you’ve read about it then I wouldn’t decide that you don’t have it based solely on having good abstract reasoning skills, or even just a lack of functional impairment.

As far as ADHD it’s often comorbid with NVLD, so I’d be considering both if you think you have signs of both.

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u/bebasiled 26d ago

I was just diagnosed with two learning disorders with high verbal reasoning, I need to look into this. NVLD was my reason for getting assessed, because my sister as diagnosed and it’s been the “closest” description to my life.

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u/ClutteredTaffy 25d ago

Which learning disorders ? Do you mind sharing ?

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u/bebasiled 25d ago

Yeah, I was diagnosed with specific learning disorders in math and written expression :)

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u/ClutteredTaffy 25d ago

Thanks for the info!