Glossary entry

Species dysphoria

Discomfort or grief that arises from the mismatch between a human body and a non-human sense of self.

In depth

Species dysphoria is the name given to the ache that can come from being one thing inwardly and another in body. It may be specific: the absence of a tail, the wrongness of hands where paws should be, a voice that cannot make the right sound. It may be general, a homesickness without an address. It is a community term and not a medical diagnosis, and it is used here simply because people need a word for what they feel.

Not everyone has it. Many therians and otherkin are at peace with a human body and regard it as a perfectly good place to live. Among those who do feel it, it ranges from an occasional wistfulness to something heavier that comes in waves. It deserves to be taken seriously in either case, and it is not a sign that the identity itself is a problem to be removed.

In practice

  • A bird therian watches gulls ride the wind above a harbor and feels, for a few minutes, a grief so plain it surprises them.
  • A wolf therian finds that long walks, running, and time among trees reliably lighten the feeling, and builds those into each week.
  • A person finds that drawing their theriotype, or writing from its point of view, turns the ache into something they can hold and look at.

Common questions

What helps?

People most often mention time outdoors, movement, creative work, wearing gear in private, and the company of others who understand. None of these changes the body. They give the animal somewhere to be.

When should I talk to someone?

If the feeling is constant, is getting worse, or is tangled up with hopelessness or thoughts of harming yourself, please speak to a doctor, counselor or other qualified professional, and to someone you trust. You do not need to explain therianthropy perfectly in order to say that you are hurting.

Phantom shiftThe felt presence of body parts that belong to the theriotype and not to the human body, such as a tail, ears, a muzzle or wings. TherianA person who identifies, in a deep and lasting way, as a non-human animal, while knowing that their body is human. GearWorn items such as tails, ears, masks or collars that some therians use to express their theriotype. Gear is optional and is not what makes someone a therian. Clinical lycanthropyA rare psychiatric syndrome in which a person holds the delusional belief that they are turning, or have turned, into an animal. It is a different matter from therian identity.

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