You may not know what an emotional vampire is, but you will probably recognize its constant grumbling.
Also, your energy will take a nose dive every time you meet one.
Emotional vampires, as the term suggests, suck the energy out of you. Some do so by surrounding you with their constant complaints, while others threaten your self-worth.
So, how can you tell if you’ have met one? What types of emotional vampires are there, and how do you protect yourself from them?
What is an Emotional Vampire?
Such people drain your emotional strength. Therefore, you become cynical, tired and depressed yourself. You will also feel worthless. Emotional vampires suck your life force by putting you down whenever they can. Feeling inferior when you are around them is the norm.
Signs of An Emotional Vampire
Emotional vampires have a knack for turning tables and making unpleasantness your fault. Therefore, spotting them isn’t that easy. Here are some signs that will help.
1. The ‘I, Me, My’ conversation
First of all, you will hardly get a word in when you talk to emotional vampires. Conversations revolve around them.
2. Poor listening skills
Emotional vampires seldom hear anything you have to say. Talks will return to them and their problems. They will also throw in meaningless comments that have nothing to do with conversations.
3. Self-absorption
Furthermore, these people have no empathy for others. They will speak harshly to anyone they meet. If people are late for lunch, they will criticize them without considering that the lateness was because they got into an accident.
4. Emotional Vampires have limited friendships
These people have few friends and commitments. Their lives are unfulfilling. Consequently, they try to fill them up by monopolizing your attention. They take up more time than your other friends.
5. Playing the victim
And then, emotional vampires love playing victims. They love throwing pity parties and blame their problems on others. It’s never their fault. Also, they will harp on the negative traits of others.
6. Emotional vampires love to control your time together
If you have friends who are emotional vampires, you will find yourself traveling to the places that they like. You will also find them calling when it’s difficult for you to talk. In all, you are the giver in the relationship.
7. Intense Frustration
Emotional vampires always feel frustrated about this, that or the other. Most of them have gone through life-changing situations which leave them depressed. While most people recover from setbacks, emotional vampires never do.
8. Feeling Drained
Finally, emotional vampires leave you feeling drained. You will find that the time you devote to them is never enough. You always feel worse after spending time with them.
5 Types of Emotional Vampires and How to Protect Yourself From Them
There are various kinds of emotional vampires, but they have one thing in common. All of them leave you feeling drained and out-of-sorts.
Annoying as their behaviors are, have some empathy for them. Many of them have gone through trying situations that are hard to recover from and will appreciate a leg up.
1. Narcissists
2. The Victim
3. Controlling Personalities
4. Drama Kings and Queens
5. The Talker
Other Ways to Shield Yourself from Emotional Vampires
You may dread emotional vampires, but there are ways to protect yourself from them.
First of all, smile and send positivism their way. It not only disarms them but may improve their outlook, at least for a short time. Then, assure yourself of your worth. Don’t let them cause you to doubt yourself.
Another way to deal with the toxicity emotional vampires send your way is to meditate. It’s a way to calm down, refresh your spirit and cleanse your aura.
In all, if you identify emotional vampires in your life, shore up your defenses. Though you cannot avoid them, you can empathize with them and choose to stay upbeat.
