What is a therian shift and what does it feel like?
05/20/25 5:47pm
View hidden comment
This post was sourced from submitted reader questions and posted by wikiHow Editorial Staff.
wikiHow forums are moderated for quality. Learn more about our moderation policy here.
Submit Answer
A Therian shift refers to any experience where you feel more connected to your Theriotype, your animal identity, in a non-physical way.
It could be a phantom shift, where you feel a limb that isn’t there, like a tail. Or a dream shift, where you dream you are your Theriotype. There are also mental shifts, where your mindset becomes more instinctual or primal. You might feel like your hands are paws or that your body is more animal-like.
These experiences don’t last forever. Some Therians are always shifted, while others experience shifts occasionally. It’s different for everyone. What’s important to know is: shifts are not hallucinations, delusions, or signs of mental illness. They don’t cause harm or fear. If they did, then that’s something to discuss with a mental health professional. But for most Therians, shifts are benign and deeply personal experiences.
View hidden comment
It could be a phantom shift, where you feel a limb that isn’t there, like a tail. Or a dream shift, where you dream you are your Theriotype. There are also mental shifts, where your mindset becomes more instinctual or primal. You might feel like your hands are paws or that your body is more animal-like.
These experiences don’t last forever. Some Therians are always shifted, while others experience shifts occasionally. It’s different for everyone. What’s important to know is: shifts are not hallucinations, delusions, or signs of mental illness. They don’t cause harm or fear. If they did, then that’s something to discuss with a mental health professional. But for most Therians, shifts are benign and deeply personal experiences.
A therian shift refers to the feeling a therian might get when they "sense" a part of their animal theriotype and identify with them more than usual. You might experience a shift in a number of different ways:
View hidden comment
- Dream shifts: you might have dreams in which you are your theriotype in your truest form.
- Mental shifts: you may think and view the world more like your theriotype and less like a human might.
- Phantom shifts: you may sense an extra limb or other body part common to your theriotype (like a tail, wings, or extra teeth).
- Sensory perception shifts: you might sense the world as your theriotype would (for instance, if your theriotype is a dog, your sense of smell may be more heightened).
What’s on your mind? Ask anything.
Get advice and feedback from experts and wikiHow readers just like you.
Ask a Question
