In 2024 parents are increasingly paying attention to a new phenomenon that has gained popularity on TikTok and other social networks – the subculture of teri (therianthropes).
This is reported by URA-Inform.
Who are the therians and how are they different from furries?
Therians (or therianthropes) are people who identify with animals not at the level of costume or play, but at the spiritual and psychological level. Unlike furries, for whom interest in anthropomorphic creatures remains a hobby and an element of creativity, therians perceive their animal identity as part of their personality.
Some therians believe they are related to mythical beasts, such as dragons. In other cases, their identification goes back to the past, and they associate themselves with extinct animals, calling themselves paleotherians. There are also polytherians who feel a connection to several species at once.
Why are teenagers interested in the theri subculture?
The popularity of the teri subculture has skyrocketed thanks to social media, where thousands of teenagers make videos that showcase their “animal” nature. Many seek this movement as a way to express their uniqueness, rebel against their parents, or find support among like-minded people. Here are the main motives that drive young people:
- fashion and influence of social media: interest in therianthropy is fueled by content that includes opinion leaders and bloggers;
- personality development: during adolescence, children are actively searching for themselves, and therianthropy becomes one of the forms of self-expression;
- social integration: joining the teri community helps make friends and stop feeling isolated;
- protest behavior: the desire to go against the opinion of parents often becomes the reason for involvement in the subculture.
Therianthropy: disease or norm?
Therianthropes themselves emphasize that their behavior is not associated with mental disorders. They understand that they remain physically human, but feel a deep connection with the animal nature. Most of them hide their identity and show it only in private or at specialized meetings.
Sometimes therians experience so-called “shifts” – short-term states when instincts take over and they begin to behave like animals. If such episodes become uncontrollable, experts recommend seeking help from a psychologist or psychotherapist, as this may indicate deeper problems. However, at the moment, therianthropy, from the point of view of official science, is not a mental disorder until a person's behavior begins to violate the legislative framework of the state.
New challenges for parents and society
Psychologists note that the growing popularity of therianthropy causes concern among parents. Many ask themselves: is this a temporary hobby or an alarming signal that the child is experiencing internal difficulties? Teachers and psychologists recommend not to panic, but to try to understand the reasons for the child's interest in the subculture. Perhaps this is just a stage of self-discovery that will pass, like many other teenage passions.
Against this backdrop, experts have talked about who furries are and why they are becoming increasingly popular.