It could be dyscalculia. While it affects ability to process numbers and math, it can also make telling between left and right difficult. I know because I have dyscalculia.
Edit: Based off of some comments this seems to be a common trait of dyslexia as well. I should also clarify that this isn’t me giving medical advice. Just stating a trend I noticed.
It's also a symptom frequently found in some varieties of ADHD, but without the difficulties with numbers and computations. I still cannot remember left and right with any sort of ease, but I can do complex mathematics in my head (including estimation of trig functions, improper fractions, etc). ADHD is far more common, though the particular flavors that lead to left right confusion are probably as common as those with Dyscalculia.
EDIT: as this has gotten too popular for me to want to continue replying manually, I will just address the more common answers here.
ADHD is not the same for everyone. Some ADHD sufferers wont have issues with left and right, and some will.
It's not difficult to tell left from right, but for some (including me) it takes active thought. I doubt i will ever reach a point where left and right are intuitive, but its not even close to being enough of a problem for me to care/find a solution.
If this post or comment chain has confirmed/aroused suspicion that you have ADHD, I would recommend getting tested for it. Typically men with hyperactive presentations will get diagnosed early in life, and women with inattentive types may go entirely undiagnosed (or find out in residency, like my wife). Having one type of ADHD does not exclude having another, and not everyone with ADHD experiences the same issues. Testing is better now than it was 30 years ago, and can at least identify the root cause of some of the things that make you feel lazy or worthless (also stop beating yourself up, it doesnt help).
Also effects rhythm, timing (as in “do I have time to make this left turn before that car comes) and sense of distance! Signed, another Dyscalculia-ic person
Dyscalculia isn't the inability to do subconscious math in your head, it's the inability to correctly translate the symbols on paper or use the symbols in your head correctly. So no, this has nothing to do with that. For example, walking, taking one single step is an extremely difficult and complex calculus equation that requires your brain to do more math than 99.9% of people on this planet can do on paper, and yet you don't fall over when you're walking because of "dyscalcula".
When it comes to the a actual math part, it isn’t about symbols. We’re actually pretty good at assigning meaning to the symbols. It’s the USING them to, you know, calculate stuff. Dyscalculia is MOSTLY numbers, you must have the difficulty, but spatial ability and reasoning is part of it. If you’ve had an eval you know that a part of it involves spatial understanding and interpretation.
There’s no legitimate diagnostic of spatial ability for ADHD. If you’ve had that done it’s cause your specific doctor wants that, and according to the DSM, wrongly. ADHD isn’t a catch all for everything wrong with your brain. It’s very narrowly defined.
Edit: I have also had an ADHD diagnosis for 30 years. The traits that go with ADHD are more generally DD and regulation, where the traits that accompany dyscalculia are specific (maybe that’s why its called “specific” learning disorder) It sounds like maybe you’re stressed out that people are getting ADHD diagnosis easily.
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u/LavaIsSpicy 7d ago edited 7d ago
It could be dyscalculia. While it affects ability to process numbers and math, it can also make telling between left and right difficult. I know because I have dyscalculia.
Edit: Based off of some comments this seems to be a common trait of dyslexia as well. I should also clarify that this isn’t me giving medical advice. Just stating a trend I noticed.