I can relate to this, however I have always attributed it to a memory problem. I don’t think I have the issues some have described above in terms of “reading others” but I do miss the implications of things ( events, circumstances etc.) quite often and so am inclined to miss the bigger picture at times. Then at other times I can see far wider than those around me it seems. I thought that was the good part of ADD?
But as far as missing communication, I believe that it is memory – is the term working memory? – that fails me. I can be in a meeting and a huge discussion takes place and the next day I’m happy if I can remember the gist of it. Someone else, however, will come back to me 3 days later and go and on about the minute details and how this and that affects this and the other thing and blah blah blah. I generally fake my through it
The same thing happens If I have a phone conversation and people tell me specific details about something, I really need to write them down or I won’t remember much beyond a vague outline later.
Years ago, I had a friend who could remember every single detail about a conversation or situation. Needless to say, I would find this very annoying. She would act surprised that I couldn’t remember things at the same level of detail about an event or person from 10 years before but I think she was a freak of nature Nevertheless, at the time I felt quite inadequate and thought there was something wrong with me ( well I guess there is !) but now I am not quite as bothered about it.