r/Therian

I’m very curious what other therians think about people who don’t believe in therianthropy and say all sorts of rude crap about this identity. How do you lot deal with it? For me, I get very insecure I suppose while reading or seeing people who have such a strong negative view on this identity. I know therianthropy isn’t normal and it’s common and expected to get hate about it, but how do you guys deal with seeing or receiving it?

I feel like being a Therian is a unique experience because there isn't anything like surgeries or HRT to help soothe the dysphoria. Putting on fake ears doesn't change my real ears and this line of thought follows me with everything.

It feels like I can't accept being a Therian unless there's actually a way to physically get the traits I want. Anyone have tips on coping with this? I'm trying to break this negative thought cycle but it's proving kinda rough...

I used to be a canine and feline cladotherian, brown bear, white rabbit, white tailed deer, big brown bat. and now im thinking im only a calico cat. so i feel like all my other theriotypes fell off and just left. Not that I quit. I feel more like a calico cat. Is that okay to "leave the others behind" and stop identifying as them completely because I feel like one theriotype more than the others?! I feel like I'm completely being a fake therian. Am I?!

My theriotype is canine mutt... raised by cats. I have behaviors that stem from both species, but don't feel as though I'm a cat at all. Recently I realized that I connect deeply with those dogs who were raised in homes with cats, and end up mimicking feline behaviors! I don't think I've ever met another therian with this kind of oddly specific theriotype but maybe posting this will reach someone who identifies with something similar!!

I'm pretty new to all of this, so let me know if I get anything incorrect, I'm still trying to figure things out-

Is it normal for theriotypes to sort of combine into one?

I sometimes experience them separately (Mink, Deer, and Badger) but it feels like a lot of the time they combine together to make a singular animal for somehow?

Does anybody else with multiple theriotypes experience this, or anything similar?

or in general therian-related stuff yall like to do in the summer/during summer break with all the free time? me personally i like climbing trees, exploring and walking thru nature trails, making (or trying to make XD) gear and researching things about siamese cats!

Hi! So this week I've been back and forth trying to figure out if I'm a therian but I can't find any good information on it. I know like what I would be if I am one, but I'm not sure if like I'm a therian or just otherkin? Is there any telltale signs I could be one? Reasons I think I am include: feeling more comfortable identifying as a dog, feel weird being human, I don't walk like a human? Like, not quadrobics, I walk more digitigrade, I have more "dog like" reactions, I wish I had ears and a tail, others things I can't remember. I know every therian is different, I'm just kinda trying to get help understanding if I am?

Hello ! I will first preface by saying I am NOT a therian, even though I do believe I share a lot of similar values, and therefore this is coming from someone completely outside of your circle. I am trying to be as respectful as possible but I appologize in advance if I get things wrong. I would love to understand therianthropy better !

As the title says, I would like to ask wether or not resonating with your therian animal makes you feel more at ease with your human body or if it makes you long for something that seems out of reach. Does expressing your therian animal with masks, gear, sports, etc, make you feel like your true self ? If so, how does it feel when you "go back" to "normal" life ? Or is this something you guys constantly do ? Again I'm sorry if this comes off as ignorant... I kinda am T-T
I assume the body dysphoria can feel similar to transgender people, right ? Does it get stronger after you express your therian side or does expressing your therian side helps with that ?

Hope everything makes sense. English not my first language :(

I also hope this is allowed to ask !! if not then i'll just stay curious haha

I am 20 and I have vcation rn. I feel like there is nothing interesting to do, help

so like, books, or documentaries, etc. ALSO, U guys got any subtle gear ideas?

Full disclosure. I don't mean you shouldn't simulate hunting with toys, snacks, or plushies. No, I don't mean you can't have a hunting license. I've seen one too many posts by therians stating they chase small animals to engage their prey drive for genuinely no other reason than enjoyment. Here's why I think there is genuinely no excuse for this behavior. You do not need to chase that animal. You have food in your fridge or cabinets or whatever else where you live. If not, you have a food bank nearby, im sure. Domestic animals like dogs and cats stimulate their prey drive with toys instead of hunting a lot of the time too. There's no excuse for not being able to do the same. You also are not immune to rabies. Many small wild animals carry the horrifying, practically incurable, terminal disease. They WILL attack for no reason if you approach as one form of rabies causes aggressive behavior. And, scariness aside: animals can quite literally die of fear. It's particularly noted in birds (called a dread flight), and rabbits can die of stress from just being flipped on their back. You think a big scary YOU chasing it won't kill it from stress too? Wild animals don't have the cushy life we do, they need to stay loaded on energy and calories to survive. Energy wasted running from you could have been used running from an actually hungry predator. Not to mention, emotionally torturing wildlife for fun is the opposite about caring for the environment. There is genuinely no excuse for the behavior. You can show some self control, or at the very least try to. Respect the nature you are a part of.

I love it, feels like a hug... I then realized its basically a mini saddle and got all giddy. Yay for medical devices feeling like home.

I've been a questioning owl therian for months and I haven't found any particular species that fits me until now. Every other species I looked into just didn't quite click or feel like it was my theriotype.

I recently learned about the Shelley's Eagle Owl, a very rare and elusive owl that lives in African rainforests. ​When I learned about it, I had this sort of "that's me" feeling which was similar to when I found my first theriotype. The more I learned about it, the more it feels like it fits me.

The problem is that it's a very rare species and there isn't that much information to learn about it. It's very frustrating because I feel like there's so much I could finally learn about it but I can't because we don't have enough information.

Any advice?

My dysphoria has been acting up for a while now. Thing is, it's from different theriotypes at the same time. Often gear helps me but it can only satisfy one theriotype, not all of them at once. Has anyone else been dealing with this?

I've seen a lot of people talk about viably seeing things like paws and fur instead of hands and skin, etc. during phantom shifts, and i wondered if that is common? Or what other people's phantom shifts are like in general.

I really don't get strong ones, and they rarely start unless I am thinking about them or shifting in general. It kind of feels like a limb attachment thing- pressure wherever the part connects to my human body and rarely feeling the weight of it.

Welcome!

If you’ve found this community because your child, teen, friend, or family member has told you they’re a therian, you’re not alone. Many parents discover r/therian after hearing unfamiliar words or noticing new interests, and it’s completely understandable to have questions.
This post is intended to answer some of the most common ones.

What is a therian?
A therian is someone who identifies, on a non-physical level, as a non-human animal. Every therian experiences this differently, and there is no single “correct” way to be one.
For many people, therianthropy is a personal identity or internal experience rather than a belief that they are physically an animal.

Is this a mental illness?
Therianthropy itself is not recognized as a mental illness. Most therians understand they have a human body and live normal daily lives.
Like any community, individual members may have unrelated mental health conditions, but being a therian is not considered a disorder by itself.

Is this just a trend?
For some people, identifying as a therian may be a passing phase while they’re exploring who they are. For others, it’s something they’ve experienced for many years or even most of their lives.
Neither outcome is unusual. Identity exploration is a normal part of growing up.

Is my child in danger?
Simply being a therian does not make someone more likely to engage in dangerous behavior.
Most therians express themselves through things like:
Learning about their theriotype(s)
Nature walks or hiking
Artwork and creative projects
Journaling
Making or wearing gear (such as tails or masks)
Photography
Roleplay or imagination
Connecting with others who share similar experiences
If your child is participating in unsafe activities, those behaviors should be addressed on their own rather than assumed to be part of therianthropy.

What is gear?
“Gear” refers to items like tails, masks, ears, or other accessories that some therians enjoy wearing. It is optional and does not determine whether someone is a therian.
Many therians never wear gear at all.

What are shifts?
Some therians describe experiences called “shifts.” These vary greatly from person to person and can include feeling mentally closer to their theriotype, experiencing phantom limbs such as ears or tails, stronger instincts, vivid dreams, or other subjective experiences.
Not every therian experiences shifts.

How can I support my child?
The best thing you can do is listen with curiosity rather than assuming.
You don’t have to fully understand therianthropy to support your child. Asking respectful questions, keeping communication open, and allowing them space to explore themselves often goes much further than trying to immediately explain or dismiss their experiences.

Before making a post
Many questions have already been answered within this subreddit. Using Reddit’s search function can help you find previous discussions from both therians and other parents.
If you still have questions after searching, you’re welcome to make a post. We ask only that you remain respectful and keep an open mind, and our community will do the same in return.
We’re glad you’re here, and we hope this community can help answer your questions.

this post isnt meant to talk about eating disorders because thats not somrthing ive experienced and thats a much more serious topic compared to what i want to discuss, which is just something ive noticed in myself. whenever i feel a shift incoming, or if im feeling particulary wolf(dog)-ish a certain day, i eat a lot more than when i didnt. like my brain is telling me to eat as much of the food i have available and rest for hours like a wolf/wolfdog would. its strange because i know its not good for my human body but my mind just tells me to do it. i find myself eating more than i do regularly, especially foods with a lot of protein like meat and egs. i dont rest for hours though because i have other things to attend to but still, does anyone else have eating behavioural changes due to their theriotype?

Share all of your introductions here in the comments of this recurring megathread.

Remember to follow these before you post as these will be moderated!

* If you are under the age of 18 do not list your full age, “under 18” is just fine!
* Don’t give out personal information! We don’t need to know where you live and strangers should not be privy to things that would identify you in real life!
* Please remember to add plenty of detail.

We have a template to follow below that is going to include what to talk about, but there’s no need to stick to one-word answers. We want to get to know you as a person, not just as your theriotype, as well.

Please remember to follow the rest of the rules when posting. This includes self promotion of your other socials which is not allowed.

This is the standard we expect from everyone here!

**Name/Nicknames:**

**Age: Under 18/Whatever if you’re an adult**

**Theriotype/Kintype:**

**Interests:**

**Hobbies:**

**What do you enjoy talking about/what would an average conversation with you look like:**

***Hypothetical introduction:***

**Name/Nicknames**: Hi, my name is Robert but I also go by Bob.

**Age**: I’m currently 32, will be 33 in December.

**Theriotype/Kintype**: I have several kintypes, I'm a wolf, a rabbit and a dragon. I have a past life as a rabbit but the other two are psychological identities.

**Interests**: My main interests for now are animated shows, animation history in general and the history of therianthropy.

**Hobbies**: I’m a massive gamer, but I’m also trying to get back into reading as that’s been difficult for me! I enjoy talking to people.

**What do you enjoy talking about/what would an average conversation with you look like**: Typically I most enjoy talking about the creative side of things, art, crafts, gear, but I also like to talk about my experiences as a dragon and artist.

Media comments are enabled but please keep it high effort! We do not allow draw-overs.

*NOTE: Introduction posts are not allowed on this subreddit outside of these megathreads. This rule is in place to reduce feed clutter, allowing for more core therianthropy-related posts to be seen. This is a support subreddit for a marginalised community, so we feel as though this is a necessary method of clutter reduction to have in place so that those who need help have a better chance of receiving it.*

I was wondering this what is it like for those who are prey?

Does it feel or look differently than just being a predator?

I [30F] have come to the realization that I am a therian after years and years of repression. Now that I've discovered myself, I can't help but shake feelings of "cringe" and "regret" for lack of better words whenever I start feeling euphoria around my identity. Even when I have some people who are trying to uplift me I keep shutting down at the slightest feeling of actually being myself and I just don't know why. It's really grating on me tonight so I was wondering if someone would be able to shed some light on how they've felt about this in their past?