Alterhuman
Umbrella term for identities that go beyond conventional human experience, including therians, otherkin, and other non-standard identity experiences.
Therian Glossary
A reference guide to the key terms used in the therian and alterhuman community.
M-Shift (Mental Shift)
A shift in mental state where a therian experiences a change in awareness toward their animal mindset, feeling more like their theriotype than their human self.
Phantom Shift
A sensory experience of phantom limbs associated with the theriotype — such as feeling a tail, ears, wings, or paws that are not physically there.
Quadrobics
Physical practice of moving on all fours, popular in the therian community as a form of expression and exercise that connects practitioners with their animal identity.
Shift
A general term for any moment when a therian mentally, sensorially, or emotionally identifies more intensely with their animal type. Includes M-Shifts, Phantom Shifts, Dream Shifts, and more.
Species Dysphoria
A sense of distress or discomfort arising from the mismatch between one's human body and one's internal animal identity. Similar in concept to gender dysphoria but related to species.
Therian
A person who identifies, on a deep and integral level, as a non-human animal. This identity is not a choice or role-play but an intrinsic part of who they are.
Therianthropy
The experience of identifying as a non-human animal. Derived from the Greek words "therion" (wild animal) and "anthropos" (human being).
Theriotype
The specific animal identity within a therian. For example, a wolf therian's theriotype is wolf. Some therians have multiple theriotypes (polytherian).