Many Pagans, and particularly Witches and those practicing Witchcraft, are familiar with energy work. Some physicians and psychologists are now trying to better understand interpersonal energy, particularly in the context of energy vampires, their behavior, and the consequences of interacting with one.
The term “energy vampire” is not a clinical or scientific term but is often used in popular culture to describe people who drain others emotionally, psychologically, or energetically. These individuals are thought to feed off the emotional energy of others, leaving them feeling emotionally exhausted, drained, or negative after interacting with this type of vampire.
The topic is not new. Psychology has been looking at the effects of interpersonal behavior on concepts like self-esteem, self-efficacy, and burnout for decades. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s overall subjective evaluation of their own worth and the feelings they have about themselves. It encompasses beliefs about oneself, as well as emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame. Self-esteem can involve various dimensions, including one’s competence, achievements, social skills, appearance, and more.
Self-efficacy is a related concept in psychology. It refers to an individual’s belief in their own ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a particular task. It is a person’s confidence in their capability to organize and execute the actions necessary to achieve a desired outcome. Self-efficacy beliefs influence how people think, feel, and behave in various situations.
Nosferatu original poster by Albin Grau 1921
Burnout usually in the workplace- that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by feelings of exhaustion, detachment, reduced professional efficacy, and a sense of inefficiency that includes a lack of accomplishment. Burnout is often experienced by individuals who work in demanding and emotional situations and professions. Its consequences can be serious.
Depression and burnout share similarities, such as feelings of exhaustion and a sense of hopelessness, but they are distinct conditions with different causes, symptoms, and treatments. Depression can be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. It can occur due to a chemical imbalance in the brain, traumatic life events, chronic stress, or a family history of depression. Burnout shares the symptoms of exhaustion and hopelessness but is typically contextual to the stress source and the situation such as the workplace.
Editorial Note: If you or someone you love is experiencing depression or burnout, there is help. Here are some resources below:
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline: This helpline can answer questions about mental health, treatment, and local support groups. Staff members are available Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: 1-(800)-950-NAMI (6264) or text NAMI to 741741.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): SAMHSA’s helpline offers 24/7 support in English and Spanish for treatment referral and support. You can call anytime you have questions about depression or substance use disorders: 1-(800)-662-HELP (4357).
MentalHealth.gov: This website provides information about mental health disorders and available treatments.
National Institute of Mental Health: This site provides free-to-access, research-based mental health information.
So, what do we know about the energy vampire? Writing for Psychology Today. Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Berkeley Well-Being Institute, wrote that energy vampires are best thought of as “people who take more energy from you instead of sharing the energy or giving some back.”
Davis added, “Energy vampires are people who tend to prey on highly sensitive, empathetic, and happy people and feed off of their kindness and compassion until they leave them drained of their energy.” However, they are usually unaware of their predatory behaviors when it comes to energy.
The hard research on energy vampires is mixed and mostly self-help.
One source is the controversial physician, Christiane Northrup, M.D., She is a former obstetrics and gynecology physician. She is a prominent advocate of alternative and intuitive medicine and mind-body healing while also holding views on certain medical topics, including vaccinations and COVID that have generated significant criticism from the medical community. Northup advised self-awareness as a defense against energy vampires and also advised on managing stress.
Other peer-reviewed research has suggested that narcissism may be heavily conjoined with energy vampires. Narcissism describes a personality trait or a mental disorder characterized by a long-term pattern of exaggerated self-importance, the need for excessive attention and admiration, and a lack of empathy for others. People with narcissistic traits often have a grandiose sense of self-importance, believe they are special and unique, and require excessive admiration from others. They often have a sense of entitlement and lack empathy for others’ needs and feelings.
“Histoire des vampires et des spectres malfaisans: avec un examen du vampirisme” published by Masson, Paris 1820 – Collin de Plancy
Nevertheless, the behaviors energy vampires exercise are very damaging. They often have a low awareness of how their actions affect others. But energy vampires share a lack of accountability about their behavior, they denigrate accomplishments or even their targets, they enjoy being the center of attention and drama, and, unsurprisingly, their conversations are about them.
To accomplish their objectives, energy vampires are manipulative and equally comfortable with bullying and acting needy to achieve their energy goals.
So, how are energy vampires’s behaviors neutralized? Conservation of Resources (COR) theory offers an answer. COR theory is based on the fundamental principle that people are motivated to preserve and build upon their resources. That’s where boundaries appear important.
Clear, obvious, and reinforced emotional and behavioral borders frustrate narcissists and energy vampires alike. The first such boundary is limiting your availability. Davis notes “We may not be able to (or even want to) cut out these people from our lives, so if you feel comfortable having a conversation about their actions and how they impact your emotional well-being, it may be worthwhile to talk it out.”
Like all energy work, positivity draws energy vampires to a person. But whether via circles, rituals, affirmations, conversations, and/or merely distance, we can create effective boundaries that signal to energy vampires that sucking the positivity will more effort than it is worth. Energy vampires are aware of that and loathe the possibility because they cannot feast upon what you will not offer or is too hard to get.
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