We all need people in our lives to help us here and there and when times get tough, you should be able to rely on others. Talking to someone when you are hurting is normal so that you can get the encouragement that you need to live your best life.
The problem is though that some people will take advantage of other people and they will take more than they ever offer to give back. They will complain and do what it takes to get attention so that they can feel better about their life.
Understanding an Energy Vampire
An energy vampire is not a vampire at all, but they are someone that steals your energy. They will interact with others, and they will leave feeling positive and full of energy, but they will take it on themselves to make sure that you don’t feel good. They will use the emotions of others to feel energetic.
Being an energy vampire isn’t a mental condition but sometimes a narcissist will have the same traits. They will act differently in front of others, and they will be codependent upon you. They are needy and they want to be the center of all the attention so they will use you to get this fix.
It can be hard to recognize this if you are using others in the same way because most of the time an energy vampire doesn’t even realize that they are doing this. They are unintentionally stealing your energy.
This is why it is important to tell someone that they are acting this way. If you are talking to someone and it is all about them, chances are they might be an energy vampire.
Signs You Might be an Energy Vampire
Here are some signs that you might even be an energy vampire:
You Are Critical
Energy vampires are often critical of others. They are never positive when you tell them things and they will bring people down. They sometimes think they are helping because they are being realistic.
They Take Over the Conversation
An energy vampire is one that is always wanting to be in control of the conversation. They will find things to talk about that interest them and they won’t listen to what other people are saying. They often interrupt and don’t let others talk.
You Focus on You
In the conversation, you are always focusing on yourself and not others or other things. You don’t ask questions about other people, but you are only worried about what you are thinking or feeling.
You Cause Tension
When you feel that there is tension around the table when you are with people, chances are that they are not able to be at ease with you around.
Setting Limitations
If your friends are limiting you to a certain amount of time to be around you, they probably feel negative about you. They will feel stressed and negative when they hang out with you, and they don’t want to deal with this.
Distancing Themselves
People that you care about will start to distance themselves and will tell you that they are too busy to hang out. They will leave your presence feeling tired and drained and when you try to talk to them, they cut you off.
Putting Others Down
You might be someone that doesn’t realize that you are always putting others down. You blame people for what they do and even if you feel angry, you are leaving insults instead of solving things. You don’t get the attention that you need and so you might even begin to act out.
Depleting Your Own Energies
When you aren’t around people, you feel that you aren’t energetic. You might feel that people are avoiding you or that they aren’t interested in being friends with you.
Final Thoughts
There is a difference between venting and needing help and being an energy vampire. Don’t be someone that sucks the energy out of others and then gets mad when they don’t want to be around you. Be fair and share your energy with others instead of just always taking.
