neurospicy
adjective
| nur-oh-SPYCE-ee
a playful substitute for ‘neurodiverse’ or ‘neurodivergent’
What does neurospicy mean?
Neurospicy is a slangy, nontechnical synonym of the adjective neurodiverse, which we define as “having or relating to brain function that is not neurotypical. The term neurodiverse is related to the concept of neurodiversity, which proposes that variation in brain functioning within the human population is normal and that brain functioning that is not neurotypical should not be stigmatized. Some people also use it instead of neurodivergent, “having or relating to a disorder or condition (such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder) that impacts the way the brain processes information : exhibiting or characteristic of variations in typical neurological development.”
Examples of neurospicy
One of my favourite things about my neurospicy brain…getting from a to be to z very quickly with problems.
—@zjayres, Bluesky, 10 Mar. 2025
As someone who is chronically ill and “neurospicy” (how I describe my neurodivergence) who is married to a neurodivergent man, I’ve learned a few things over the years that will help people build successful relationships without discounting the chronically ill and neurodiverse.
—A weird thing about being somewhat neuro-spicy... (I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid) …is that going to conventions is a paradise and a curse.
—A “neurospicy” author who was diagnosed with autism aged 36 is celebrating the release of her fourth book. … Describing herself as “neurospicy” rather than “neurodivergent”, the 37-year-old says the term better reflects her way of thinking. “It just represents looking at the world in a different way,” she said.
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Where does neurospicy come from?
The spicy in neurospicy is thought to be a play on, and reaction to/against, mild as in “mild autism.”
It’s to combat the term “mild autism”. As someone said in the comments, no one is mildly autistic it is something that you are or are not. People who are autistic (I am) are getting rid of the unwanted term (mild autism) and instead referring to all autism as “neurospicy”. It is a word created by individuals on the autism spectrum, and it is used to describe themselves. You could call it autism humor lol. Logical and deadpan.
—Words like neurodiverse, neuro-inclusive, neuro-affirming and neurospicy are neologisms (new words) related to neurodiversity. These words don’t come from … medical professionals. They come from a large online community of neurodivergent people.
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How is neurospicy used?
As some of the quotes above illustrate, neurospicy is self-applied by people who find it to be an apt descriptor for their experience and identity. However, not all people who might otherwise describe themselves as neurodiverse/neurodivergent use or approve of the term.
Neurospicy is a fun way to say neurodiverse or describe the neurodivergent community.
—To say “I’m a bit neurospicy” is to strike a chord of shared understanding without the heavy cloak of clinical terms. It’s inviting, approachable, and yes, it’s got a zest that many find irresistibly empowering. But, as with any new term or trend, it’s essential to approach it with nuance. For some, neurospicy feels like a trivializing hashtag, a fad that might fade, or perhaps it feels out of sync with the gravity of their experiences.
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