Is there someone in your life who makes you feel emotionally exhausted
just by being around them?
Or leaves you feeling upset,
anxious, or stressed out, whenever you spend time with them?
If there is, then you should watch out
That person might be an Energy Vampire
Energy Vampires aren't at all like those people you dislike or
disagree with. It is not a matter of you simply
finding it hard to get along with them.
In fact, most Energy Vampires tend to be
close friends or family members.
Always exploiting you and zapping away your energy, without you knowing it.
They're stubborn, manipulative,
intitled, and self-absorbed
They are people who want to have you at their beck and call
They call or use you as a psychological punching bag
to feel good about themselves.
Does this sound unsettlingly familiar to you?
If you want to find out whether you are in a situation like this
Here are six signs you are dealing with an Energy Vampire
1. They like to play victim
Energy Vampires usually
don't take responsibility for their mistakes
They can't hold themselves accountable for the part they play when things go bad
But instead, blame everyone else for what happens to them
They are manipulative, for example
they may constantly guilt trip you into feeling sorry for them
Doing favors for them and staying by their side
Based on a study by Lobel and Taiber,
people who behave like this often struggle with extremely low-self esteem
And seek constant validation from others
as a coping mechanism
Thus, they come off as needy, clingy, and sometimes even co-dependent on
those around them
2. They are narcissistic
Energy Vampires are known to be highly self-absorbed
Have you ever found yourself dealing with someone who constantly
only ever wanted to talk about themselves
and never listened to anything you had to say?
Well, people like this are often charismatic
and smooth-talking, which makes it harder to stay away from them
Often times they have little to no
capacity for empathy, and will usually only pretend
to care about you when it benefits them
They might expect you to always put them first
and be upset with you when you don't give in
to their demands for attention or praise
Do you know someone like this in your life?
Perhaps, you might relate to being a narcissist but feel no shame
Self-awareness is Key!
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3. They want to dominate you
Do you know someone who is loud-mouthed and loves to feel
superior over others?
Chances are, individuals like this are actually deeply insecure about themselves
They are afraid of appearing weak or foolish. And so
they overcompensate
by intimidating others and exerting their dominance over those around them
They put you down, in order to feel good about themselves
They also feel insecure about your success and achievements because
they fear being out-done
A study by Nagi and Davis, suggests that highly competitive
and likely Type A personalities
have a neurotic need to beat others
4. They create unnecessary drama
Chaos can be exhilarating for an Energy Vampire
as long as they are at the centre of attention
They tend to have an exaggerated sense of self-importance
and they enjoy playing the sympathy card on others
This is why they thrive in crisis,
and love to create problems. Either for themselves
or others, making mountains out of molehills
They gossip and make trouble wherever they go
In order to distract themselves from the emptiness they feel
They go to great lengths just to feel intense emotions,
even when they are negative
5. They constantly criticize you
If someone constantly criticizes you and
makes you feel bad about yourself, they might be toxic to your mental health
They prey on your insecurities and emotionally manipulate you
While it seems obvious enough. Sometimes it can be
difficult to recognize this behaviour in others,
especially if they are someone close to you
People like this often seem friendly on the outside but deep down
they might already be harbouring
malicious intentions towards you
6. They exploit your kindness
Based on a study by Grosz and others, in 2015
compassionate and caring people
are prime targets for their abuse
If ever you have come into contact with an Energy Vampire
and shown them any sympathy or understanding
they are likely to use your good nature against you
For example, they take advantage of you
by coercing you into doing things you don't wanna do
These people will demand a lot more than you can give
Establishing healthy boundaries with others is
incredibly important
If someone is weighing you down and taking a toll on your emotional well-being
this person isn't worth keeping in your life
Too much company with an emotional vampire
can be detrimental to your mental health
So, recognize the signs and know your limitations
Do you know anyone who fits the descriptions of an Energy Vampire?
And how did you deal with them?
Let us know in the comments section below
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