A number of furries colloquially made reference to a condition referred to as “post-con depression” (PCD)—a feeling of malaise and lowered mood in the days following a furry convention. While PCD was assumed to be a fact among furries, we aimed to test whether the data supported this condition using a number of existing psychological measures of well-being. These measures were given to furries both at Anthrocon1 and again, 3 or 7 days post-Anthrocon. We assessed differences between these scores and tested whether there was a statistically significant change in scores between the two time points. Without exception, furries reported less psychological well-being following the convention as compared to at the convention, which may be indicative of post-con depression.
These data show not only that furries feel sad in the days following a furry convention, but that they also experience symptoms of fatigue, inability to focus, and irritability, all of which suggest a depressive mood. Moreover, there was little to no difference between those furries completing the survey 3 days after the con to those completing it 7 days after the con. This may suggest that post-con depression may last longer than we had initially thought—perhaps
spanning weeks instead of days, and may even suggest that, rather than being construed as an aberrant “low point,” the phenomenon may be thought of as an aberrant “high point”—at-con mania. These data are, to our knowledge, the first empirical evidence demonstrating the phenomenon commonly referred to as post-con depression. Future studies will aim to not only better understand what this phenomenon entails and how long it lasts, but will also be focused on trying to reduce its effects.
Hello!
I’m going to a furcon (Furry Weekend Atlanta) next month. Do you have any ideas or resources on how to cope with Post-Con Depression?
Also, I’m not sure how to tell my parents that I’m going to this, as an 18 year old college student. I can provide more context if needed!
Lovely work this website is! I would love to discuss more about this in other topics, or participate in a study!
Thanks for your comment and questions 🙂
There are resources specifically for parents on this site HERE, and for everyone who doesn’t really understand Furries, and probably through no fault of their own, misunderstands them, Dr Roberts has written a really accessible article HERE backed up by peer-reviewed science, but written for a general audience: this probably won’t help those impervious to facts, and determined not understand, but it will help those who have a good-faith misunderstanding of Furries.
If you want to understand more about post-con depression, we contributed a chapter written in a book, called “Furries Among US 2,” published by a Furry HERE.
We have no studies available for participation at this time, but the research never stops, new studies are coming out all the time, so watch this space and follow our social media links for new study announcements and links.