Chris Rock explains to ‘The View’ how his Non-Verbal Learning Disorder diagnosis has changed him

On Thursday on "The View," Chris Rock explained to the co-hosts how he was recently diagnosed with a condition called Non-Verbal Learning Disorder. "They came back and said, ‘You don’t have Asperger’s, but you have something very close to it," Rock said. "And it’s called NVLD, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder.” Rock said he thinks he's had it for a while now and said it mostly affects social interactions he has. “One of the things is I have a hard time picking up social cues,” Rock said. “Like when I talk to people, I hear the words, but if you’re mad at me, if you’re feeling a certain way, I might have a hard time picking that up.”

Video Transcript

[DIGITAL EFFECT]

CHRIS ROCK: And.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Right.

CHRIS ROCK: They came back, they said, you don't have Asperger's, but you have something very close to it. And it's called NVLD, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder.

- On Thursday on "The View," Chris Rock explained how he was recently diagnosed with NVLD, or Non-Verbal Learning Disorder. The diagnosis came as a byproduct of going to therapy, and Rock told the co-hosts how NVLD affects him.

CHRIS ROCK: One of the things is, I have a hard time picking up social cues. Like when I talk to people, I hear the words, but if you're mad at me, if you're feeling a certain way, I might have a hard time picking that up.

- Rock noted that this isn't a recent development, but likely has been with him for a while now. He even remembered how back in his early comedy days, "View" co-host, Joy Behar and fellow comedian, Susie Essman, had to give him etiquette pointers. Joy recalled one such incident.

JOY BEHAR: You were already a star, and I said, would you give me a ride home? So you, you said, sure, get in the car. And the whole ride, you were on the phone talking to somebody else. I was like, OK, I guess I'm not here right now. That might be an example.

- Rock ended by saying that the diagnosis and therapy has completely changed his behavior for the better.

CHRIS ROCK: I used to have like this squirrel-like energy, where like, like.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Right.

CHRIS ROCK: Where a squirrel, you can't sneak up on a squirrel. It's always alert. He's scared all the time.

[LAUGHS]

And

JOY BEHAR: Yeah.

CHRIS ROCK: That's gone. I'm much more relaxed now.