Hello!! ~click x or stop sign button to stop title animation~ hello there! so i don't see many about alterhumans projects around scratch, so I decided why not make my own? i hope this can help you, and tell me if there's anything i'm missing or that i got wrong! ~so what's an alterhuman?~ ~alterhuman is an umbrella term for therians, otherkin, otherhearts, etc. it describes any person who has non-human identities, connections, or bonds. it is an easy term you can use if you're not sure exactly what you are! ~therians~ ~ therians are people who identify AS an animal, in some way. They believe their mind is wired like an animal's, or their soul is, or something similar. i like to think of it like an animal mind or soul in a human body. -shifts- not all therians have shifts, but many do and it's a telltale sign. a shift is when someone begins to think like an animal, dream that they are animal, feel phantom limbs, or something else similar. -theriotypes- a therian's theriotypes are the animals they identify as. this can be anything from a wolf to a blue jay to an eel. there's nothing that "isn't allowed," you do you! ~otherhearts~ ~ayyy this is me! otherhearts are people who do not identify as an animal but feel a deep connection and identify WITH an animal. they feel like they belong with those animals, in some way, while still being entirely and fully human. -shifts- otherhearts can absolutely have shifts-- i have phantom shifts almost constantly! it doesn't matter that they aren't a therian, they can still experience a wide range of different shifts. -hearttypes- just like theriotypes, hearttypes can be any animal, including fictional and extinct. these are creatures the otherhearted person identifies with. as an example, mine are wolf, cat, crow, and lemon shark! ~otherkin & other nuances~ -otherkin- otherkin are people who identify as a mythical or fictional being. they're like therians in many ways. these creatures can be dragons, very specific species or creatures like hydra, and anything inbetween! once again, you do you! -paleotherians/polytherians/polyhearted/etc.- there are so many nuanced labels out there, but here's a few. paleotherians/paleo-otherhearts are people who identify with/as a extinct animal, like a sabertooth tiger or a dinosaur. polytherians/poly-otherhearts are those who have multiple kintypes, theriotypes, or hearttypes, like me! (these are generally very common). -other- i just want to say one last thing. while therians are involuntary, many people "stop being a therian" if they realize the label doesn't fit them or something. for example, i "stopped being a therian" because i realized i'm actually otherhearted! it is totally ok to change. LITTLE NOTE: I am otherhearted. I do not really believe in the idea of spiritual therianthropy, nor past lives, nor souls. Psychological therianthropy makes more sense to me, really. I am a very grounded-in-science sort of person, though I will not judge you if you believe in spiritual therianthropy, like I said, you do you! I will not stick my nose in your business or beliefs. Spiritual therians are totally acceptable people, but I just don't agree with their point of view or beliefs, but that's ok! that's just what I think, you can believe whatever you like! <333
~TIPS~ these apply for all otherhearts, therians, and all other nuanced labels! - make nests/dens/safe spaces! make yourself someplace you can feel like yourself, and you can connect with your therio/heart/kintypes. -gear! while not every alterhuman likes gear or has access to it, i find it is a good way to feel like your kin/heart/theriotype. whatever sort of gear makes you happy is great, from a full-body suit to just ears and a tail. you can buy it or make it yourself as a fun craft! -act like your kin/heart/theriotype for example, if you have an aquatic type, go swimming a lot! if you have a tree-climbing type, climb trees! get outside! act like your animal! ( within safety limits, obviously. ) -watch videos of your animal or listen to alterhuman music while i personally don't like THAT much alterhuman music, it's something great if you like that sort of thing! also, i love watching videos of my hearttype, it's a great way to trigger shifts too if you like doing that! (for music i honestly recommend indie rock/folk like the crane wives, the milk carton, or something similar) -do quadrobics! while not all alterhumans like quadrobics or their animal(s) might not be suited for it, it's a good way for land animal alterhumans to feel connected to their kin/therio/hearttype. -spend time with animals go to zoos, shelters, and the outdoors. and obviously if you have a domestic therio/heart/kintype, interact with that animal, whether it's your own pet, a friend/relative's, or one from a shelter! volunteer at animal shelters and rescues, wildlife rehabs, and other similar locations. -rarer animals (aquatic, avian, etc.) I have both an aquatic and avian heart type, and I'd say it's a bit harder to find a way to connect to these. For avian animals, finding high-up spots, doing sports like gymnastics, or even going paragliding or similar can help recreate the feeling of flight. for aquatic animals, the answer is simple; swim!! long baths, lakes, oceans, rivers, or pools are all great! i like to go to lakes (or oceans, depends where you are) because i think it feels more natural compared to a pool or a bath. but ofc rivers are great too depending on the specific animal you have! if you have an animal like a snake or something, try crawling low to the ground or climbing in a wrapped motion (depends on the animal, again). i hope this helped!! thank you for reading!!!
