Things Normals Should Know About Neurospicy People

• We’re spicy, not toxic. Neurospicy doesn’t always mean disabled. It just means different. Many of our spicy traits are highly advantageous. I wouldn’t be able to write if I was neurotypical. I wouldn’t even be interested in such things. My brain is obsessed with philosophy and words, and that’s why you’re reading me right now. My neuro-spice sends me on grand forays of the imagination, and that’s far from a toxin.

• Some spicy traits make our lives better. Some make them worse, kind of exactly like neurotypical people.

• Some of us fall through the cracks, so don’t forget about us. The neurospicy community is dominated by people with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Not all neurospicy people have autism, so don’t make assumptions about our symptoms. We’ve educated ourselves about you. Please do the same for us.

• We reached this century thinking most of us were neurotypical, but we’re learning there isn't much normality around. Neurodivergence is expressed through traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, autism, and personality disorders. Even PTSD is included in the spectrum, and that leaves precious few normals behind. Do you know what they call exceptions? Unusual. I’m unusually lazy, so I’m not willing to crunch the numbers, but if I did, I strongly suspect I’d find out that you’re less normal than we are.

• Small things can cause an absurd amount of suffering, and it’s valid. I once moved into a two-floor apartment with a high ceiling. After I moved, I cried over it for two weeks. I’m absurdly sensitive to my environment, not because I’m a drama queen, but because I have a scar on my temporal lobe. One study used the words “exquisitely sensitive.” That sounds about right. Reflex epilepsy can be triggered by touch, movement, and even a particular sound. Autism is equally reactive.

• Being neurospicy requires a lot of energy, so some of us get tired easily. I can only manage two or three hours of social time these days. It’s not because I’m indifferent to you. It’s just that it takes extra work to process sensory input. For every step a neurotypical person takes, many neurospicies must take 10. Sometimes we don’t have it in us. We want to see you as much as everyone else does. We just don’t always have the luxury. Please don’t forget about us just because we’re not around.

• We often earn less money than you do. Eleven years ago, I was a chronic under-earner. When I finally got a remission, my income tripled. Yes, tripled. This is the difference between neurospicy and neurotypical. A healthy brain is a tremendous privilege that touches every aspect of your life.

• Some of us have been so convinced by our symptoms that we’ve developed some weird beliefs. Karen Armstrong was a nun before she got remission from her disorder. Then she quit and became an agnostic, Pulitzer Prize-winning anthropologist. I’m sure some spicy people are going to scream at me about this one, but I am not afraid. <beats chest>

• Life is a lot more colourful for some spicy people. I wouldn’t change it for the world.