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As an energy psychiatrist, I know that to come out ahead with drainers, you must be methodical. Emotional vampires can’t savage your peace of mind or prick you to death with corrosive remarks if you’re onto them. My books “The Empath’s Survival Guide” and “Emotional Freedom“ cover everything from recognizing an initial exposure to an energy vampires to deploying techniques to deflect negativity. These strategies will enable you to stay centered in difficult relationships.

The First Strategy: Determine Am I Being Sapped By An Emotional Vampire?

Anyone who has ever shared an office, car pool, or attended a family dinner with a vampire can attest to experiencing some common emotional side effects.

Even after a brief contact, you feel worse; they feel better. To find out if you’ve been bled, watch for these signs. Experiencing even one indicates

you’ve met a drainer on the prowl.

Your eyelids get heavy–you’re ready for a nap You feel put down or like the rug was pulled out from under you Your mood takes a nose-dive You have a yen to binge on carbs or comfort food You feel sniped at, slimed, or agitated

In addition, sometimes intuitive flashes and dreams can raise a red flag. Pay attention. For instance, following a dinner I attended where the guests had

something negative to say about everything, I dreamed I was bombarded by a storm of leeches. Similarly, after a critical friend skewered one of my

patients, she felt as if she’d fallen to the bottom of a well. Another patient dreamed that a pigeon pooped on her head–splat, there it was: her reaction

to a nasty altercation with her apartment’s superintendent. Whether you’re awake or asleep, notice telling imagery that conveys emotion. This will

help you identify a vampire.

The Second Strategy: Practice These General Do’s and Don’ts With Emotional Vampires

Whenever possible, eliminate drainers from your life. However, with those you can’t or don’t want to remove–for example, friends going through a rough

patch or relatives who are fixtures–follow these tips:

Do

Take a breath to center yourself Listen for intuitions signaling danger (i.e. you get “the creeps,” a bad taste in your mouth, a tired or tense feeling) Stay calm and matter of fact instead of going for their bait Pause…develop a plan to handle the situation before you react (refer to the fourth guideline describing these strategies) Communicate clearly, firmly, with a neutral tone when setting limits

Don’t

Panic Talk yourself out your intuitions or call yourself “neurotic” Blurt out what you’ll regret later or use an accusatory tone Fight with the person Overeat to medicate stress

Also consider what kind of emotional vampires you’re facing; we often attract what we haven’t emotionally resolved in ourselves. If you’re fearful, you

may find yourself surrounded by legions of fearful people. However, once you’ve begun to heal an emotion, you’re less likely to magnetize it towards

you, nor does it possess the same ability to wear you out.

If you decide that the pros outweigh the cons of remaining with an emotional vampire, say a bullying colleague or mate, you must take responsibility for

that decision and the way you respond. Ask yourself, “How can I stay in the relationship and not feel oppressed?” This means concentrating on the good

and accepting someone’s limitations.

The Third Strategy: Could I Be An Emotional Vampire? How Do I Know?

We’ve all got a smidgeon of vampire in us, especially when we’re stressed. So, cut yourself a break. It’s admirable to admit, “I think I’m emotionally

draining people. What can I do?” Can’t be free without such honesty. Then you can change. These are some common indications that you’re becoming a

drainer.

People avoid you or glaze over during a conversation You’re self-obsessed You’re often negative You gossip or bad-mouth people You’re critical, controlling You’re in an emotional black hole, but won’t get help–this strains relationships and won’t free you

The solution is always to own up to where you’re emotionally stuck and change the related behavior. For instance, one patient in computer graphics kept

hammering his wife with a poor-me attitude about how he always got stuck with boring projects at work. Instead of trying to improve the situation,

he just kvetched. She started dreading those conversations, diplomatically mentioned it to him. This motivated my patient to address the issue with

his supervisor, which got him more stimulating assignments. Similarly, whenever I slip into vampire mode, I try to examine and alter my behavior or

else discuss the particulars with a friend or a therapist so I can change. Don’t hesitate to seek assistance when you’re stumped.

The Fourth Strategy: Identify and Combat Emotional Vampires

To be free of vampires, you must know the nature of the beast. Each one has a special talent for emotionally disabling you. The good news is that vampires

are predictable. Once you get their number, you won’t be caught off guard. Understanding vampires from multiple angles gives you the upper hand. So

does having empathy for their emotional wounds–intuitively, these feel as real to me as physical injury. Think about it: No one becomes a vampire

because they’re happy! Whether or not they know it, vampires are driven by insecurity and weakness, infirmities that impede goodwill. This doesn’t

excuse their predatory acts. Rather, it allows you to show compassion for people you may not like while setting limits, a paradigm for emotional diplomacy

that frees you and reduces drain. This framework will help clarify your relationships, but realize there’s much more to a human being than any single

definition. Stay focused: your aim isn’t to rehabilitate vampires, merely to counter them with uncommon grace.

Adapted from Dr. Judith Orloff’s book,“The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People” (Sounds True, 2017)