If you spend enough time in neurodivergent corners of the internet, eventually somebody is going to call themselves neurospicy. I first heard the term on an episode of Balanced Black Girl, and I was immediately like, oh, I like that.
Neurodivergent is useful. Clinical language has its place. But neurospicy? Neurospicy has a little seasoning on it. Literally, apparently, because the pepper emoji 🌶️ has been appointed the official mascot of neurospiciness—neurospicy-ism? Eh. You get the point. And no, it is not a diagnosis. Please do not walk into your doctor's office and announce that WebMD has confirmed a severe case of neurospiciness/ism.
I spent years living with ADHD without knowing that ADHD was what I was living with. Without language, you invent explanations: lazy, inconsistent, not trying hard enough, somehow missing the instruction manual everybody else received. Understanding ADHD changed that story. “Neurospicy” did something slightly different. It made the conversation lighter. Not unserious, just lighter.
Of course, the internet has opinions
Because have you really made it as an internet term if nobody is arguing about you? Some people find the word infantilizing or dismissive. Fair. I also happen to be a Libra, which means seeing seventeen sides of a two-sided argument is apparently part of my personal operating system.
This is where I land: identity language should leave room for individual choice. If a silly little pepper helps you talk about something that once carried shame, I do not think anyone else gets to confiscate it.
Some language will last. Some will make us cringe in five years. Such is life on Beyoncé's internet. Neurospicy. Neurodivergent. ADHD. Autistic. Dyslexic. Still figuring it out. None of the above. You belong here. Because the best part of belonging is that you get to be yourself.