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In the original coining post, alterhumans were described as differing from the "common societal idea of humanity". This was defined as: a person feeling connected to and represented by a human body a singular person being in a body who has been there since birth a person’s identification as human without a supernatural basis a person’s identification as human without personal subcultures taking greater precedence The post emphasizes that no one who follows these criteria is obligated to feel represented by the term; for instance, some who follow reincarnation-based spiritualities may not consider themselves alterhuman despite having spiritual or supernatural justifications for their humanity.[1] As a result, the word alterhuman covers a broad range of experiences, some of which have very little or even nothing in common with each other. These identities can be nonhuman, human, voluntary or involuntary. They can be based in spirituality, psychology, or some other framework of origin.[4] It was later suggested "non-typical experiences of species identity, embodiment, narrative identity and personal mythology" as categories that encompass most types of alterhumanity. Therianthropes can be any age, and thus therianthropy has no specific age range or age limit. However, most therians awaken and/or find the community when they're between the ages of 8 - 18 years old. However, there are two recognised terms that can refer to a therian of a specific age. The term 'wereteen' is a term that refers to a teenage therianthrope. It is a relatively unknown/forgotten term from the 2000s, but it is still able to be used, regardless of the phase-out of terms including "were" as a prefix or suffix. The term that's commonly used to describe older therians is 'greymuzzle', which is used to describe therians that are typically over 40 years of age and who have been awakened for a substantial amount of time. However, it is agreed that a therian can not assign themselves the title; it must be earned through hard work and contributions to the community. The AHWW established the rule that 'greymuzzle' is something other therians use to refer to an older member, but older members must not refer to themselves with the term. There are many different subcategories within the therian community. Each describes and explains a different or varying experience a therian may experience, ranging from a therian's level of integration (which affects shifts), how many creatures a therian identifies as, and what levels a therianthrope identifies as a non-human on. "You must be born a therian" A common misconception in therianthropy is that you must be born a therian. When you hear the word "become", you may associate it with the word "choosing", as the word implies a voluntary action. However, it neither implies a voluntary nor involuntary action, so yes, someone can involuntarily become a therian. Some of the reasons someone may involuntarily become a therian are imprinting during early childhood, or as an involuntary coping mechanism for trauma (not to be confused with copinglink, a non-therian identity where someone chooses to identify as an animal as a coping mechanism). "Therianthropy is only spiritual" The idea that therianthropy is inherently spiritual has been a common misconception in recent years due to the rise of "TikTok therians". And while many therians believe that their identity has spiritual roots, that isn't the case for a large part of the community. See psychological therianthropy for more examples of non-spiritual causes. "Therians are still normal humans, despite their identity" Nope, being a therian means that you're not fully human. The whole definition of the identity states that a therianthrope "identifies as a non-human creature". The whole point of the identity is that therians are not 'normal people', however, they are still functionally human. And if a therian was to identify as a 'regular human', it would be the same as someone who's transmasc saying, "I am transmasc, but I still identify as a woman" (It is important to note that the comparison is used only for an easier understanding; therians are not part of the LGBTQ+ community). Many therians only identify as their theriotype in a non-physical way, however, that still means that they are not 'normal humans'. And holotheres/physical therians, who physically identify as their theriotype, are fundamentally even less human than non-physical therianthropes. "Therians and furries are the same thing" Furry is a term to describe someone who takes an interest or finds enjoyment in the concept of anthropomorphic animals/creatures. Therianthropes involuntarily identify as non-human creatures. The difference between the two is that one is an interest/hobby (furry), while the other is an identity (therianthrope). While the two don't inherently overlap, there are some who identify as a part of both communities. Otherkin is a subculture of individuals who identify as partially or entirely nonhuman. An umbrella term for this would be alterhuman. Some otherkin believe their identity derives from non-physical spiritual phenomena, such as having a nonhuman soul or reincarnation Shifting is a phenomenon where a therianthrope has an experience that causes them to feel more like their theriotype. They are usually temporary, but some therians experience constant shifts, this is commonly reported in phantom shifts, but can occur with several types of shifts. Shifts can occur in varying strengths and frequency, and be a positive or a negative experience. Multiple types of shifts can be experienced simultaneously as well. Not all therians experience shifts, such as contherians (who don't experience any mental shifts), and having shifts is not required to identify as a therian. Therianthropes don't need to experience any or every type of shift, and some therians may only ever experience one type of shift throughout their life. Non-therians can also experience shifts, this doesn't mean that they are a therian. Shifts should not be relied on when trying to figure out if you are a therian or not. The term 'shifter's disease' was created by a Shifter.org member and explains how someone can accidentally trick themselves into believing that normal feelings and mundane occurrences have a deeper therianthropic meaning. The roots of many/most types of shifts and shifting terms that are still commonly used to this day can be traced back to the 1990s. And a list of terms put together on December 24th, 1999, on WereNet, provides a look at the then-known shifts.[1] For example, on December 1st, 1993, a post, titled "Your best mental transformation", by a prolific AHWW member known as KatmanDu spoke of a "mental transformation" he experienced. He explained how he had left his apartment late one night to walk in a nearby cemetery and woods. And as he reached the woods and looked into them, he felt something.

“Something stirred in me then, something that I imagine stirs in anyone who looks into dark woods; only in some folks it's interpreted as fear… I saw the forest and felt the same sensation, but I interpreted it as a tugging at whatever remnant of prehistoric man there was left in my genes. I felt a desire to enter the woods and move silently through them, stalking some prey amongst the pines. I started down the trail.”

He continued into the forest, making a noise that sounded like a “pregnant elephant walking through a plate-glass window”. But the more he walked into the woods, the more animalistic his mind became. He eventually reached a large boulder that looked over a small stream that flowed through two large tunnels.

“I perched on the boulder, looking down the ravine at the water. Across the ravine, I could see the lights of the campus through the trees; but right in the gully on that boulder could have been in any time period and in any forest. I let my mind stay open and uncluttered; I felt the most amazing urge to howl.”

Suddenly, he heard the voices of 3 college-aged men nearing the creek, he pressed himself to the rock as they walked up the stream. They stopped at the entrance of the tunnel, talking about how Satanists had graffitied the tunnel and other rumours surrounding the forest. The men started to climb up the opposite bank when one turned and looked right at him.

“… he didn't see me and I remained motionless until they had disappeared over the far edge of the ravine. The sense of... power, is the only word I can think of.. that I felt while I crouched there and watched them was incredible. I had an insane urge to leap off the rock and.. what? Devour them? Rip my shirt and scream like a bloody idiot? Tell them "Say, don't you fellows know the woods are dangerous?" [2]

A part of the Shifters.org encyclopaedia covered the definition of shifting.

"Shift: Often times this is a slang term used by Therians for 'Shape shifting'. Shift is often used moreso than shape shift because shift by itself means 'change' and 'Shape' shifting leads people to think of changing in a physical sense. Since no physical shift has ever been proven, most therians would like to disassociate themselves from those who claim the 'surreptitious' ability. ... Shifter: One capable of shifting. These are not exclusively therians, as anyone is capable of various types of shifts, most often the 'Dream Shift.'" [3] How a shift starts

Involuntary Shift A shift that occurs without will or conscious control. This can take the form of any shift

Voluntary Shift A shift that occurs due to being consciously induced. This can take the form of any shift

Shifts that can occur in several ways

Auditory Shift A shift that is caused by a sound that a therian notices around them. This can take the form of any shift

Cameo Shift A shift where a therian experiences feeling like an animalistic creature that is not a known theriotype. This can take the form of any shift

Emotional Shift A shift that is caused due to a strong emotion a therian experiences. This can take the form of any shift

Empathy Shift A shift where a therian has a shift caused by another therian/non-human expressing that they are experiencing their own shift. This is a subcategory of cameo shift, and can take the form of any shift

Koita Shift When a therian experiences a cameo shift of an animal they see, this can be a picture or in real life. This is a subcategory of cameo shift, and can take the form of any shift

Meridio Shift When a therian has a cameo shift caused by a strong connection with another therian, only when in close vicinity of each other. These shifts end when the two therians are no longer in the same vicinity and normally take the form of mental or phantom shifts

Astral Shift A therians astral body separates from their physical body and travels to the astral plane, where it shifts to the form of their theriotype

Aura Shift When the shape or form of a therian's auric field/life energy field changes to their theriotype

Berserker Shift A therian experiences extremely strong emotions that cause them to push away their human side, including empathy and logical decision-making

Bilocation Shift When a therian appears in two locations simultaneously, their double appears in the form of their theriotype on the physical plane. There is no scientific proof that this type of shift is possible

Dream Shift A shift where a therian becomes their theriotype within a dream, either partially or entirely

Envisage / Self-image Shift Where a therian's mental image/awareness of themselves changes to closely reflect their theriotype, this is commonly experienced through a therian viewing themselves in 3rd person and seeing their theriotypes limbs on themself

Mental Shift A therian experiences a change in mindset, causing them to think and act more like their theriotype

Phantom Shift A shift where a therian feels supernumerary phantom limbs of their theriotype on themself (this can be in the form of ears, a tail, feathers/fur, or any other limbs someone's theriotype has)

Physical Shift (P-shift) When a therian's human body transforms into the physical shape of their theriotype, this form of shifting is agreed to be impossible.

Sensory Shift Where a therian's senses change to become more like their theriotypes

Shadow Shift / Ghost Shift A shift where a therian sees their theriotype form around them as a transparent apparition, this shift has also been (and can be) used for when a therian's shadow changes to have characteristics more like their theriotype

Spiritual Shift A therian's spirit takes on the form or shape of their theriotype, while their physical body remains unchanged

Immersive Shift A shift where a therian feels sensations and urges stronger than usual, this form of shift is incredibly similar to mental shifts