Difficulty following verbal instructions

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Thanks for the replies

My Mum used to say "you never listen to what I say, you just ignore me all the time" when I couldn't remember what she said to me
verbally

I also can't take in much in lectures unless I type (I can't write) extensive notes on every single sentence the lecturer says. However while I'm typing I can't hear what the lecturer is saying, so I end up missing a lot. In short, I don't learn in lectures

Yes! Although I am usually fine if they are kept short and simple. If someone gives me too many instructions at one time I can't process it all. I was told when I was younger I had a poor short term memory. I agree lectures are a nightmare to sit through. I noticed often that I just couldn't process all the information verbally, I would only be able remember bits and pieces of the whole talk. This is an Autistic trait because I often can't block out noise and listen to someone well let alone a group. I think this is a reason (especially when In college) I didn't particapate in groups because if it's more than one or two people it's hard to keep up with the rapdily changing conversation and trying to pay attention to a lot of people at the sametime.

Yes. Anything more than about a sentence is too much. I always have to write things down or it won't stick. I never had people having a problem with me writing stuff down at work. Verbal instructions are a nightmare. In ballet, teachers always give the combination instructions verbally and I could almost never remember them. I went to tears once from it. I hated that. Why couldn't we just stick to the same routine? Ugh!

I cannot follow anything verbally either, even written instructions can be a bit hard for me. Everything needs to be visual for me or else I am lost. That is why whenever I am driving somewhere for the first time, I never bother to ask for directions because I will retain none of it. Thank goodness for maps! That is what helps me get around, not verbal directions.

Mir

I remember some sorts of verbal information well, and other things not well. I'm not sure exactly what the categories are, or why it differs. I tend to remember academic content that I've heard in class well, and I tend to remember conversations I've had with people well (so much so that one friend actually said I have an eerily keen memory for words and speech - although he talks to me mostly online, so most of the conversations I've had with him are things I've read, not things I've heard). I don't tend to recall verbal instructions well, I don't think.

If I don't write it down, I'm probably not going to remember/absorb it.

Yes, my boss will tell me 20 things that we would need to do in a 5 or 10 minute conversation. I would walk back to my space and forget about 3/4 of what he said. I used to think I must be really stupid because I just can't follow his instructions. It is not much better when I take a pad in with me. He doesn't really slow down enough for me to do more than jot down a few things per topic, then I have to decode what I just wrote. Part of the problem is it isn't always clear for me what is priority and what is just his train of thought going off on some tangent.


The other area I have a problem with is when someone is demonstrating a new technique or operation procedure. I seem so slow to pick it up. I don't know if I need to have written instructions to fully grasp what I am doing, or I need to see the whole picture before I can understand the purpose of doing an individual step a certain way. Another problem is if I to do something for the first time with someone standing over me giving me instructions, I feel so awkward and clumsy. I get so frustrated and annoyed with myself.

Yes, you have described me very well. This is why I usually have my wife listen to directions when she is with me (for example---getting directions from a hotel clerk about how to get to a restaurant, etc.).

central auditory processing disorder. i think, and yes i seem to have it
i'm terrible at putting things together, like furniture and towl racks. even with instructions Lol.

My office clerk thought I never listened to him lol. I always wrote stuff down when he give me requests but I would still forget because I would forget to look at my pad and he seemed to have an issue with having to remind me. I prefer to be reminded.

And every time I would ask him how to do something, he would go "What did I just tell you" "How long have you been working here? You should know these things" and I always felt stupid and felt like I did drugs or something because if I have such a good memory, why couldn't I remember these things at work?

This also had to do with me having a hard time understanding his instructions so I would try and clarify or ask questions and he still not like it and then he turn around and say if I don't understand, just ask.

Plus I took him literal so that's why I would be trying to clarify what he said to make sure I understood correctly. Sometimes I wonder if it was my eating disorder that was also part of it because my mind didn't have the energy to listen so I had a hard time understanding and remembering but I still have that issue so maybe not or it just made it worse. But I noticed when I worked day time shift and ate better, I felt better too and felt more organized and balanced. Maybe because the day shift was more routine and structured so I was able to be more organized and remembered better. The swing shift was all over the place so I couldn't always go in order when I work so it made it harder for me to remember and being told to do this or that due to requests from quests and it throw me off. I still had requests too during the day but I was able to get back to what I was doing because it was more structured and it was a routine.

Glider18, I also suck at getting directions of how to get to places, I prefer to have them written down. But my husband remembers better than me thank goodness so he is around to direct me when we get back in the car.

In fact I should start bringing something to work to write with and write stuff down that needs to be done that week so I can remember to do it or remember how to do it.

Losing the Verbal trail topic

I lost a job once due to this. I told them if I had an instruction sheet it would be better, but management vetoed this. I think it had something to do with accountability.

If I need to remember a measurement when I am working on something I say it out loud. I can hear it when I get to the work I am doing. But when I am given verbal instructions I almost always have questions. And I have been told I take things too literally.

I'm terrible with verbal instructions. If it's not written down, I will either forget it or do the wrong thing. This leads to problems at work since management likes to mention long lists of things that I need to do in a conversation...

verbal instructions
in one ear and right out the other

I'm the same way...I have to write everything down! I always get chosen to write minutes and summarize for meetings because I write such copious notes lol...

When you're telling me something, I'm probably concentrating on whether my eye contact is appropriate or not. If I'm really interested I'll look away and try hard to turn the circus music down in my head so I can hear you.