Neurospicy

This is a really interesting explanation of where the phrase comes from which makes it easier to understand why people use it! I wonder whether many of the people using it know the origin story and are using it semi ironically/ as an in-joke, or whether it just caught on and most people don't have this context in mind...

I agree. I also heard someone describe their child as 'having the 'tism' which made me unexpectedly ragey but I'm not sure why.

Why do they do that? The spicy straights i mean

Yes, I must admit, whenever I hear 'neurospicy' I assume (perhaps incorrectly) the person using it is self-diagnosed, because it automatically makes me think of the 'spicy straights' who self-diagnose themselves as 'queer' despite being entirely heterosexual.

I'm just going to be a bit pedantic here: one person can't be neurodiverse. Diversity only exists in a group. So a group of people containing some who are neurotypical and some who are neurodivergent would be a neurodiverse group. But an individual is either neurotypical or neurodivergent.

I was once described as 'diverse' for being a lesbian, and I pointed out that I'm not remotely diverse- I only have one sex, one sexual orientation, one race, etc.

I also hate the term 'neurospicy', incidentally.

DH is dyslexic and has ADHD, DS is Autistic and currently going through the assessment process for ADHD, DD is Autistic and Dyspraxic. I'm not formally diagnosed with anything but professionals involved with the kids have suggested I have Autistic traits. The SENCO at the kids school described us as "a very neurospicy" household in a meeting and I was momentarily irritated by her phrasing but then got over myself. I don't think she meant any offense. Although I find the phrase a bit twee DD (11) says she quite likes it and she's entitled to talk about her diagnoses however she chooses.

If someone has a type of neurodiverge that meaningfully limits their ability to operate in the world then I think they should be able to use whatever term they find most positive and helpful for them.

However, people who describe completely normal variances in the way people think as "spicy" are annoying. No you're not "neurospicy" because you're a bit sensitive to sounds or a bit forgetful. If that was the case then we'd all be neurospicy.

Yes, some of us that use the term have been formally diagnosed. I have an ASD report from two psychologists, that’s around 30 pages long. However, I don’t like going around saying to people “I have Asperger’s”. I either say I’m Autistic, or Neurospicy. It’s just the way I am as a person, and the way I deal with it. Every Autistic person is different, after all, it’s a spectrum. I’ve had a shit time living with Asperger’s, so if I wanna make light about it, and joke about it, I absolutely will. It’s my disability, and I have to live with my brain, which by the way I would never wish on anyone, cos it’s bloody hard.

I have heard numerous ways of describing ND from my (diagnosed) autistic teenager, just like any other alternative phrases for anything, these things do the rounds. I dont think anyone is in a position to "guarantee" how someone else views their ND, diagnosed or not.

Absolutely it’s my choice, and I understand others may not like to use it. But I think if you have a Neurodiversity then you should be able to refer to it however you like. It’s my disability, and I deal with things differently than others may do. I personally hate “Autism is my superpower”. It’s not a superpower, it’s a pain in the arse, that makes my life a lot harder than others. So I totally get where you’re coming from.

Yes, I understand what spicy means. Honestly, I feel that my Autism is unpleasant, and I have to warn people I’m autistic, as I don’t tend to do well when meeting new people. I also have to inform new workplaces that I’m autistic, and give them reasonable adjustments to ensure I don’t have a mental breakdown. I tend to use the Neurospicy term to help me break the ice with new people. It sometimes puts Neurotypical people at ease, when I joke about it, as sometimes people can be a bit awkward about Neurodiversity. Does that make sense?

Guarantee the ones using this haven't had any formal diagnosis, otherwise they'd definitely use the full terms.

I think it’s trite nonsense, but in all honesty I feel the same about neurodiverse and neurodivergent. Sticking “neuro” in front of something doesn’t make it a medical descriptor. It’s on line terminology rather than meaningful.

I think this comes back to what I said before about the term adding a layer of confusion. It seems as if people are using it in different ways.

People can use whatever terms they want but for the sake of clarity I wish they wouldn’t.

Correct.

Mind, the term "spicy straights" is often used by those of us old enough to be 'traditional' LGB about straight people pretending to be something other than plain old straight!

This is a bit of a reach. Not the same thing at all. Was there any need to use that offensive term as well? 🙄

And many of us commenting on the use of “neurospicy” are ND ourselves.

As a mother of a now grown man I hate the term-really gets on my nerves tbh-maybe because for my son being autistic and having adhd has not helped him in life at all.

Goodness but this thread is depressing. A series of people saying "neurospicy" is used by "this group" (sneer) or "that group" (sneer) followed by "Don't they know spicy has (random nonsensical connotation)?" Its like listening to bar room bores in the 1970s complaining that "gay means happy so why are the poofs using it".

My son has properly diagnosed ADHD. Several of his close friends have either ADHD or ASD. It affects their lives enough for them to have sought a diagnosis and to use medication to enable themselves to manage their educational and work lives.

None of them regards it as a superpower - any benefit of hyperfocus is easily outweighed by the days under a weighted blanket - but it is who they are. And they use neurospicy because that's the word that they have chosen to represent their experience of life.

And their lived experience does not negate the experience of people who have nonverbal ASD with complex learning difficulties. But it's a different kind of difficult.

it’s all part of “we’re all on the spectrum somewhere” thing. And even worse, the Mumsnet “X is behaving like a complete shit” “Oh, is he ND?” as if it’s somehow an excuse, an explanation and a belief that ND people can’t behave in perfectly polite, civilized ways. And a belief that somehow being ND makes you more interesting.

I think a lot of people who have autism/ ADHD etc experience a lot of challenges being in a world geared towards neurotypical people.

I guess identifying with words like this is a way for some people to take some identity/ positivity with their diagnosis and to feel connected in a world where they might often feel quite isolated.

I can see why people find it annoying, but if it makes people who are otherwise struggling feel empowered, part of something or just better about themselves then I can't see that it does much harm.

Live and let live.

Ah no! My autism means I just cannot use an incorrect term even if I do hate the correct one! I'd probably make up a new one instead. Neurospicy is meaningless so I hate that too!

Its because its designed to imply interest. The opposite of spicy is bland.

Its the idea that NT people are lumbering around in their boring grey worlds while the neurospicy are living in technicolour.

See also ND people selfdescribing as "i have like 100 ideas fizzing around my brain at once". Well yes, its called being a thinking human

I’m so glad it’s not just me that feels like this.

I’m AuDHD and have two DC with a variety of neurodivergent diagnoses between them. I guess we’re the very definition of neurospicy but hell would quite honestly freeze over before I used that word as a descriptor.

I see it all the time, primarily in communities of your ND folk who seem simultaneously determined to be a victim while also emphasising how cool and unconventional they are.

It’s awful, it’s cringeworthy, but even worse, it’s offensive, for all the reasons PP have said.

Reading this thread kept making me think of the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" stereotype. Decided to look at some MPDG pictures - and found this straight away! It's not the only one relating autism/ADHD to "Manic Pixie", either.

I bet she's neurospicy.

The point is, though, that it's your choice whether to use that term, right? I'm sure there are other terms used to describe ND people that you don't like at all. And you wouldn't presume that your way of describing your diagnosis is how others should describe theirs?

What do you mean by "neurospicy" anyway? Presumably you understand that spicy is typically a term used to describe hot - potentially unpleasant - food, and as a warning? It certainly isn't used to describe mellow or calm things?

I totally agree with you. I don't view it as a "superpower" at all! People who say that seem to have watched "Rain Man" one too many times, and totally ignored the majority of the movie. Besides which, that movie wasn't even based on someone who had autism! Turns out it was likely that he had a completely different neurological diagnosis.

I find that sort of attitude belittling - it's like the people who chortle at those who have to use a wheelchair: "well at least you always have a place to sit!!". No. Just, no.