Neurospicy

Totally agree with you, OP, I dislike the term "neurospicy" too - it sounds like something one would say about a cat or a dog. The word "spicy" implies that there is something hot-tempered or badly tempered/firey about being neurodiverse - and that simply is not true. It implies also that there is something unpleasant about people who are neurodiverse: after all, spicy food is usually viewed as being potentially unpleasant/painful to eat - it's the reason why the "Hot Wings" show gets so much attention: watching famous people suffering through increasingly spicy food.

It also minimises or cartoonifies people who have neurodiverse diagnoses: they aren't "spicy" - they are human beings with a wide range of feelings and attitudes, ranging from being very mellow to being incredibly rage filled. Just like neurotypical people. It also runs the risk of excusing "bad" behaviour: a child who happens to be neurodiverse and who acts in an aggressive or violent way may be "excused" as being "neurospicy" - but the truth is that aggressive and violent behaviour is not acceptable. It's not "neurospicy" it's wrong.

I h a t e it with a passion.

It's touch and go as to whether my autistic child will ever manage to live independently, and despite DC being gorgeous and funny and kind, autism is not a 'spicy' superpower for many of our DC, but the thing which will prevent them from accessing the kind of life they know their peers are headed for.

That phrase makes me want to kick the shins of the person using it. Just don't.

ive used this phrase in our family to explain after an ASD and ADHD diagnosis, that likely we all have something too. It felt easier to use this phrase to my other children who will also be tested.
it also I think, is better than ‘divergent’ for the reason this sounds as though it’s a break away from the ‘norm’
Whereas ‘spicy’ indicates a spectrum of spiciness and alludes more positively towards ‘being different’ to ‘normal’ people

I'm quite happy to use it as a descriptor for myself, diagnosed Audhd late in life. I'm not an "out there" person and my neurodivergence isn't my whole personality.

It's much nicer than the previous names I've been given, such as freak, weirdo, idiot etc and will use any terminology I want to describe myself. If you don't like the term, don't use it.

I'm part of a large neurodivergent community, and the term is used freely amongst it.

I’m Autistic, in my 30’s, and professionally diagnosed (not self ID), and I use Neurospicy all the time. My ND bestie also uses it. Don’t have an issue with it at all. We’re very self deprecating when it comes to our conditions. I’m Autistic, and she is AuDHD. Everyone’s different.

To be fair, a lot of people say they have things with very little evidence that they do - particularly mental health issues and neurodivergency. I think a lot of people feel they need something that explains the way they are thinking and feeling - even if that mental state is temporary.

There's also the issue of other people (not medical professionals!) ID'ing you. So many people tell me I'm ND. It's infuritating. Not because there's anything wrong with being ND but simply because I'm not.

But yeah, 'neurospicy' is a bit cringe. I know a few families that do it - mostly affluent families with 2-3 ND children who are high achievers.

I hate it and find it really offensive for reasons others
have already said.

The kind of people who use this are the ones who think being into anime is counter-cultural and a sign of being an extra special eccentric person who gets things normies don't.

So pretty cringe.

I always thought it was a way to describe people who had some autistic traits but not enough to be diagnosed. Until i heard someone with a diagnosis describe themselves as neurospicy.

I have to admit my ds2 is self diagnosed. But only since he was 12 and camhs said it was obvious he had autism but they weren't allowed to diagnose him and nobody else would assess him either. We are hoping the diagnosis will be made official in the next couple of months, 16 years after i first said i think he has autism.

It's from a meme years ago, which was a reaction to people whose immediate response to any autistic person who had verbal speech, no matter how significant their other challenges, was "autism? It must be mild." The meme was a Nando's style chilli pepper with levels from "mild" to "spicy" to "hot" to "extra hot."

Fast forward ten years and fewer people think that autism is exclusively "mild" or "non verbal." However, more people have adopted "neurospicy" as a cutesy descriptor. I'm not a huge fan of the phrase but that's because I'm too old for tiktok.

I hate it. ND is bloody hard, it’s not “cute”.

I’m ADHD with one ADHD son and one AuDHD son.

Neurospicy makes my teeth itch. I had to grit my teeth when their (otherwise amazing SENCO) used it in a meeting the other day. 😬

I have OCD, the boring kind that makes you wonder if you've murdered your family and forgot about it, not the quirky cute type that really likes things tidy. I genuinely don't get offended by the "I'm so OCD because I actually wipe my window ledges down lol" tinkly laugh comments from people who don't have a fucking clue.

But Neuro "spicy". Fuck off, just fuck off, you sad try hard fuck. You want to jump on my kids bandwagon? You want to be so autistic that you can't go to school, or talk to anyone, or have a three day meltdown because your room looks different? That your family wonder which way is up half the time and wonder if you or they will still be about in ten years time?

No, didn't think so

It’s because neurodivergence has become so ill defined and diluted (at least to the general public) that no one really knows what any of it means so a flippant slant has been put on it all.

YANBU. I'm ND myself and have never actually heard the term before, but I loathe it already.

I'm ASD and ADD and I hate it too! I also have no superpowers.

Exactly this.

‘I’m neurospicy. You can tell because I’ve got purple hair and what I think is an unusual dress sense’.

See I view this differently.

I have a profoundly autistic DS who is incapable of caring for himself and whose neurodivergence make him a constant threat to his own safety and that of those around him. He is neurodivergent and disabled due to that. His support needs are very high.

I am neurospicy and by that I mean I’ve had it suggested by several MH professionals along my DS’s path that I should consider diagnosis. I’ve struggled with certain things (food/sensory) since childhood and yes these impact me on a daily basis BUT I do not have care needs, I’m fully independently functional in daily life and if you met me you would have no idea. People often don’t believe it when I tell them as I’m so outgoing and put together.

I look at my DS and I look at myself and we are not the same. He is neurodivergent and I am neurospicy and I am personally a fan of there being a difference.

Saying “with autism” or “has autism” is to me correctly frowned upon.

I have an ASD diagnosis and I genuinely couldn't care less. I forget which way round the cross-making one is most of the time.

I mean you're not getting a diagnosis if you dont have difficulties, but then you have people getting offended if you're nor proclaiming it's a wonderful superpower.

Saying “with autism” or “has autism” is to me correctly frowned upon. It suggests a disease or something you can pick up and put down. Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference with varying degrees of support need. It is very common for people to correct the “with”.

I think it started as a bit of a tongue in cheek response to people keep saying oh does s/he have mild autism, like there was a nandos style autism chart. I heard more parents of children with high care needs saying 'no the spicy kind' but its moved into neurospicy meaning anyone who even suspects adhd/autism.

I dont love it, but prefer it to superpower stuff though as I still see the early joke.

Saw this recently at a professional conference. One of the speakers %(F50’s) is a founder of an organisation for those who are autistic “she preferred this to with autism” But she also used neurospicey several times. She also did several performative “oh something on the ceiling caught my eye then” moments 🙄

I loathe it. I had a parent who kept using it and I wanted to be sick. I also have a colleague who uses it - their choice but I did tell them it gives me the heebie jeebies. I might raise with my neuro society and see what they think.

Rizz ‘em with the ‘tism babes 🤣

again, cringe. But if someone wants to use it then whatever

It didn’t bother me too much at first, when I just saw a few people using it tongue-in-cheek online. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t hate it either. As it became more common parlance it began to feel less like a in-joke and more like a way of making neurodiversity seem more lighthearted and funny.

I have nothing against any neurodivergent people being lighthearted and funny, for reference- I’d just rather be lighthearted and funny by my own merit than purely by virtue of being a “quirky” autistic. I don’t mind people knowing that neurodiversity isn’t all suffering and negative symptoms, but “neurospicy” swings too far in the other direction for me.

At the same time, I’m hesitant to criticise because I also feel that the majority of people using it are newly-diagnosed young adults who are still riding the high of self-acceptance, understanding and newfound community. The word bothers me, but I don’t hold it against the people who use it.