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[[Category:Definitions]]
[[Category:Definitions]]
A '''Psychic Vampire''' is a person<ref name=wapo/> or being<ref name=lavey/> who feeds off the "life force" of other living creatures.<ref name=wapo>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/23/AR2008112302158.html A Vampire's Life? It's Really Draining]: Forget 'Twilight.' These Folks Pale in Comparison to the Stereotype. By Monica Hesse, Staff Writer, ''Washington Post'', November 24, 2008, Page C01</ref> Psychic vampires are represented in the occult beliefs of various cultures and in fiction.<ref name=frost>(Frost 1989, pp. 16–18)</ref> There is no scientific or medical evidence supporting the existence of psychic vampires, or even the bodily or psychic energy they allegedly drain.<ref>{{cite web|last=Radford|first=Benjamin|title=Vampires Among Us: From Bats to Psychics|url=http://www.livescience.com/6009-vampires-bats-psychics.html|work=Live Science}}</ref>




 
==Alternate Terms==
A '''psychic vampire''' is a person<ref name=wapo/> or being<ref name=lavey/> who claims to feed off the "[[life force]]" of other living creatures.<ref name=wapo>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/23/AR2008112302158.html A Vampire's Life? It's Really Draining]</ref> Psychic vampires are represented in the occult beliefs of various cultures and in fiction.<ref name=frost>{{harv|Frost|1989|pp=16–18}}</ref> As of yet there is no medical recognition or scientific proof supporting this purported phenomenon, although there was a 2007 scholarly survey carried out upon people claiming to be vampires, either psychic or sanguinarian (blood drinkers) that showed anecdotal evidence (which is always highly suspect) of a higher than normal incidences of certain illnesses and conditions such as anemia, fibromyalgia, and hemophilia.  Whether or not they actually suffer from such conditions was not evaluated by medical professionals.<ref name=Laycock>Joseph Laycock (2009). Vampires Today: The Truth about Modern Vampirism. Praeger Publisher. ISBN 9780313364723.</ref>
The term ''psychic vampire'' is sometimes abbreviated ''psy-vamp'' (or ''psi-vamp''). Alternate terms for these entities include ''energy vampire'', ''energy predator'', ''energy parasite'', ''energy eater'' and ''energivore'', as well as ''psionic vampire'', ''pranic vampire'', and ''empathic vampire''.
==Alternate terms==
The term ''psychic vampire'' is sometimes abbreviated ''psy-vamp'' (or ''psi-vamp''). Alternate terms for these entities include ''energy vampire'', ''energy predator'', ''energy parasite'', and ''energivore'', as well as ''psionic vampire'', ''pranic vampire'', and ''empathic vampire''.


Terms used to describe the substance or essence that psychic vampires take or receive from others include: ''energy'',<ref name=wapo/> ''qi'' (or ''ch'i''), ''life force'', ''prana'',<ref name=wapo/> and ''vitality''.
Terms used to describe the substance or essence that psychic vampires take or receive from others include: ''energy'',<ref name=wapo/> ''qi'' (or ''ch'i''), ''life force'', ''prana'',<ref name=wapo/> and ''vitality''.


==Emotional vampires==
Bernstein uses the phrase "emotional vampire" for people with various personality disorders who are often considered to drain emotional energy from others.<ref>Albert J. Bernstein Emotional Vampires: Dealing with People Who Drain You Dry (2002)</ref>


==Energy vampires==
==Emotional Vampires==
The term "energy vampire" is also used metaphorically, to refer to people whose influence leaves a person feeling exhausted, unfocused and depressed, without ascribing the phenomenon to psychic interference.<ref name=cnn>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/03/11/o.energy.vampires/index.html Watch out for energy vampires]</ref><ref>[http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/09/23/tem_energy23.html 'Energy Addict' puts positive spin on life with nutrition and exercise]</ref>
American author Albert Bernstein uses the phrase "emotional vampire" for people with various personality disorders who are often considered to drain emotional energy from others.<ref>{{cite book| title=Emotional Vampires| url=http://www.albernstein.com/id55.htm| isbn=978-0-07-135259-8| last=Bernstein| first=Albert| publisher=McGraw-Hill| year=2000}}</ref><ref> {{cite web| title=5 Emotional Vampires and How to Combat Them| url=http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/10/27/5-emotional-vampires-and-how-to-combat-them/| last=Borchard| first=Therese| publisher=Psych Central}}</ref><ref> {{cite web| title=How to Beware of Emotional Vampires Intent on Draining You of All Your Precious Emotional Strength| url=http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/05/31/how_to_beware_of_emotional_vampires_intent_on_draining_you_of_all_your_precious_emotional_strength.htm| last=Baldino| first=Rachel G.| publisher=Sixwise.com}}</ref>


==In mythology==
The concept of psychic vampirism appears in the mythology of many cultures, just as do blood-drinking vampires. Regions where belief in psychic vampires is common include Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Balkans and rural South America. Some North American Indian cultures, such as the Hopi, also share this belief.


==Modern interpretations==
==Energy Vampires==
The concept of both 'vampire' and homologously 'psychic vampire' can be interpreted to represent the issue of social parasitism applied to spiritually or emotionally weak persons; those who appear to "drain" strength from others.
The term "energy vampire" is also used metaphorically to refer to people whose influence leaves a person feeling exhausted, unfocused, and depressed, without ascribing the phenomenon to psychic interference. <ref name=cnn>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/03/11/o.energy.vampires/index.html Watch out for energy vampires], by Dr. Judith Orloff, ''CNN'', March 11, 2008</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/09/23/tem_energy23.html|title='Energy Addict' puts positive spin on life with nutrition and exercise|last=O'Farrell|first=Peggy|date=23 September 2004|work=Cincinnati Enquirer}}</ref>


Dion Fortune wrote of psychic parasitism in relation to vampirism as early as 1930, in her book, ''Psychic Self-Defense''.<ref>Fortune, Dion (2001) [1930]. Psychic self-defense. Samuel Weiser. ISBN 9781578631506. OCLC 44926949</ref><ref>Charles and Collins, Carr; The Story of Dion Fortune, Thoth Books, 1998, ISBN 1-870450-33-7, p150,</ref> Fortune considered psychic vampirism a combination of psychic and psychological pathology, and distinguishes between what she considers to be true psychic vampirism, and mental conditions that produce similar symptoms. For the latter she names folie a deux and similar phenomena.
Dion Fortune wrote of psychic parasitism in relation to vampirism as early as 1930 in her book, ''Psychic Self-Defense''.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Psychic self-defense |last=Fortune |first=Dion |year=2001|origyear=1930 |publisher=Samuel Weiser |isbn=978-1-57863-150-6 |oclc=44926949 |ref=harv |postscript=<!--None-->}}</ref><ref>Charles and Collins, Carr; The Story of Dion Fortune, Thoth Books, 1998, ISBN 1-870450-33-7, p150,</ref> Fortune considered psychic vampirism a combination of psychic and psychological pathology, and distinguished between what she considered to be true psychic vampirism and mental conditions that produce similar symptoms. For the latter, she named folie à deux and similar phenomena.


The term ''psychic vampire'' was popularized in the 1960s by Anton LaVey and his Church of Satan. LaVey wrote on the topic in his book, ''The Satanic Bible'', and claimed to have coined the term.<ref name=lavey>{{cite journal|first=Eugene|last=Robinson|title=Anton LaVey|journal=Birth of Tragedy|month=November |year=1986|url=http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/BOT.html|accessdate=2007-03-31|ref=harv}}</ref> LaVey used ''psychic vampire'' to mean a spiritually or emotionally weak person who drains vital energy from other people, or a paranormal entity within such a person, allowing the psychic draining of energy from other people. Adam Parfrey likewise attributed the term to LaVey in an introduction to ''The Devil's Notebook''.<ref name=Davison1997>Davison, Carol Margaret; Simpson-Housley, Paul (1997). Bram Stoker's Dracula: sucking through the century, 1897-1997. Dundurn Press Ltd.. p. 310. ISBN 9781550022797. "LaVey defines psychic vampires as "individuals who drain others of their vital energy... They fill no useful purpose in our lives, and are neither love objects nor true friends."</ref>
The term "psychic vampire" was popularized in the 1960s by Anton LaVey and his Church of Satan. LaVey wrote on the topic in his book, ''The Satanic Bible'', and claimed to have coined the term.<ref name=lavey>{{cite journal|first=Eugene|last=Robinson|title=Anton LaVey|journal=Birth of Tragedy|date=November 1986|url=http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/BOT.html|ref=harv}}</ref> LaVey used ''psychic vampire'' to mean a spiritually or emotionally weak person who drains vital energy from other people, or a paranormal entity within such a person, allowing the psychic draining of energy from other people. Adam Parfrey likewise attributed the term to LaVey in an introduction to ''The Devil's Notebook''.<ref name=Davison1997>{{Cite book |last1=Davison |first1=Carol Margaret |year=1997 |title=Bram Stoker's Dracula: sucking through the century, 1897–1997 |first2=Paul |last2=Simpson-Housley |publisher=Dundurn Press Ltd. |isbn=978-1-55002-279-7 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=brj7yfaBkPAC |page=310 |quote=LaVey defines psychic vampires as "individuals who drain others of their vital energy... They fill no useful purpose in our lives, and are neither love objects nor true friends. |ref=harv |postscript=<!--None-->}}</ref>


Others have defined a 'psychic vampire' in the more traditional sense. Michelle Belanger has written a book entitled The Psychic Vampire Codex, which defines a psychic vampire as a person, who, from limited ability or complete inability, are unable to generate their own "life force", and must feed off of others, not just as an ability, but as a necessity, to maintain their youth, beauty and vitality, lest they wither away.
The terms "energy vampire" and "psychic vampire" have been used as synonyms in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union as part of an occult revival.<ref>{{cite book|last=DeNio Stephens|first=Holly|editor=Glatzer Rosenthal, Bernice|title=The Occult in Russian and Soviet Culture|chapter=The Occult in Russia Today|publisher=Cornell University Press|location=Ithaca, NY|pages=468|isbn=0-8014-8331-X|url=http://books.google.com/?id=Kumg5iYYkWkC&pg=PA370&dq|year=1997}}</ref>


A modern literary interpretation of the process of transitioning from a normal human to an energy vampire, a being made from pure energy which no longer requires a physical body, can be found in Dr Silvia Hartmann's book "''Vampire Solstice''"<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?printsec=frontcover&id=S_L_tPQ3IQgC#v=onepage&q=&f=false Vampire Solstice] DragonRising Publishing, ISBN 1 873 483 929</ref> 2006 as a metaphor for processes of actually existing energy exchanges.<ref>[http://silviahartmann.com/energy-vampires-among-us.php Energy Vampires Are Among Us] by Dr Silvia Hartmann, 2009</ref>


The terms "energy vampire" and "psychic vampire" have been used as synonyms in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, as part of an occult revival.<ref>DeNio Stephens, Holly (1997). "The Occult in Russia Today". In Glatzer Rosenthal, Bernice. The Occult in Russian and Soviet Culture. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. pp. 468. ISBN 080148331X.</ref>
===Role in Modern Vampire Subculture===
The theme of the psychic vampire has been a focus within modern vampire subculture. The way that the subculture has manipulated the image of the psychic vampire has been investigated by researchers such as Mark Benecke<ref>Mark Benecke and Aleksandra Blak, 'Vampire Youth Subculture in New York City', presented as a conference paper at the Second World Dracula Congress (Poiana Brasov, Romania: 24–28 May 2000).</ref> and A. Asbjorn Jon.<ref name=australianfolklore>A. Asbjorn Jon, 'The Psychic Vampire and Vampyre Subculture', in ''[http://www.une.edu.au/folklorejournal/ Australian Folklore]'', 12 (2002), pp. 143–148 (p.145) ISBN 1-86389-831-X</ref> Jon has noted that, like the traditional psychic vampires, those of vampire subculture believe that they 'prey upon life-force or 'pranic' energy'.<ref name=australianfolklore/>


===Role in modern vampire subculture===
The theme of the psychic vampire has been a focus within modern vampire subculture. The way that the subculture has manipulated the image of the psychic vampire has been investigated by researchers such as Mark Benecke<ref>Mark Benecke and Aleksandra Blak, 'Vampire Youth Subculture in New York City', presented as a conference paper at the Second World Dracula Congress (Poiana Brasov, Romania: 24–28 May 2000).</ref> and A. Asbjorn Jon.<ref name=australianfolklore>A. Asbjorn Jon, 'The Psychic Vampire and Vampyre Subculture', in ''[http://www.une.edu.au/folklorejournal/ Australian Folklore]'', 12 (2002), pp,143-148 (p.145) ISBN 1-86389-831-X</ref> Jon has noted that, like the traditional psychic vampires, those of vampire subculture believe that they 'prey upon life-force or 'pranic' energy'.<ref name=australianfolklore/> Jon also noted that the group has been loosely linked to the Goth subculture.


===Vampire "Houses", cults and religions===
==Sexual Vampires==
Thanks to the internet and the modern new age and pagan movements, religious and spiritual views that are very alternative to mainstream views pop up all over the place. Often these people of abstract views like to form together and make groups. <ref>Konstantino's Vampires the Occult truth</ref>. Some of these groups have formed organisations such as the church of the vampire and the Temple of the Vampire.
A related form of psychic vampirism is known as sexual vampirism, where one is said to be able to feed off sexual energy.<ref>(Frost 1989, p. 31)</ref>


==Sexual vampires==
A related form of psychic vampirism is known as sexual vampirism, where one is said to be able to feed off sexual energy.<ref>{{harv|Frost|1989|p=31}}</ref> It has been suggested that [[Succubus (Traditional)|Succubi]] may be defined as being such beings, but since they are generally defined as being demonic in nature, this connection is tenuous in nature.


==See also==
==See Also==
* [[Huli Jing]]
* [[Huli Jing]]
* [[Obake]]
* [[Obake]]
* [[Odic force]]
* [[Odic force]]
* [[Pranayama]]
* [[Succubus (Traditional)|Succubus]]
 


==References==
==References==
<references/>
{{reflist|2}}
 


==Further reading==
==Further Reading==
*Frost, Brian J. (1989). The monster with a thousand faces: guises of the vampire in myth and literature. Popular Press. ISBN 9780879724597
* {{Cite book |last=Frost |first=Brian J. |year=1989 |title=The monster with a thousand faces: guises of the vampire in myth and literature |publisher=Popular Press |isbn=978-0-87972-459-7 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=_gINLtvH_M4C |ref=harv |postscript=<!--None-->}}


==External links==
==External Links==
* [http://www.llewellynjournal.com/article/513 Llewellyn (Bookstore): How to Deal with Energy Vampires]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_vampire The original source of this article at Wikipedia]
* [http://www.drbrucegoldberg.com/EnergyVampires.htm Dr Bruce Goldberg (Dentist and a hypnotherapist): Energy Vampires -- Who are they?]
* [http://www.energyvampires.com Energy Vampires(Band): Energy Vampires]
* [http://www.llewellyn.com/bookstore/article.php?id=379 Llewellyn (Bookstore): Psychic Vampires]
* [http://www.llewellyn.com/bookstore/article.php?id=379 Llewellyn (Bookstore): Psychic Vampires]
* [http://www.kheperu.org Psychic Vampires from their perspective - House Kheperu]
* [http://swordandserpent.web.officelive.com/default.aspx Psychic Vampire House in UK]

Latest revision as of 10:36, 27 October 2014

A Psychic Vampire is a person[1] or being[2] who feeds off the "life force" of other living creatures.[1] Psychic vampires are represented in the occult beliefs of various cultures and in fiction.[3] There is no scientific or medical evidence supporting the existence of psychic vampires, or even the bodily or psychic energy they allegedly drain.[4]


Alternate Terms

The term psychic vampire is sometimes abbreviated psy-vamp (or psi-vamp). Alternate terms for these entities include energy vampire, energy predator, energy parasite, energy eater and energivore, as well as psionic vampire, pranic vampire, and empathic vampire.

Terms used to describe the substance or essence that psychic vampires take or receive from others include: energy,[1] qi (or ch'i), life force, prana,[1] and vitality.


Emotional Vampires

American author Albert Bernstein uses the phrase "emotional vampire" for people with various personality disorders who are often considered to drain emotional energy from others.[5][6][7]


Energy Vampires

The term "energy vampire" is also used metaphorically to refer to people whose influence leaves a person feeling exhausted, unfocused, and depressed, without ascribing the phenomenon to psychic interference. [8][9]

Dion Fortune wrote of psychic parasitism in relation to vampirism as early as 1930 in her book, Psychic Self-Defense.[10][11] Fortune considered psychic vampirism a combination of psychic and psychological pathology, and distinguished between what she considered to be true psychic vampirism and mental conditions that produce similar symptoms. For the latter, she named folie à deux and similar phenomena.

The term "psychic vampire" was popularized in the 1960s by Anton LaVey and his Church of Satan. LaVey wrote on the topic in his book, The Satanic Bible, and claimed to have coined the term.[2] LaVey used psychic vampire to mean a spiritually or emotionally weak person who drains vital energy from other people, or a paranormal entity within such a person, allowing the psychic draining of energy from other people. Adam Parfrey likewise attributed the term to LaVey in an introduction to The Devil's Notebook.[12]

The terms "energy vampire" and "psychic vampire" have been used as synonyms in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union as part of an occult revival.[13]


Role in Modern Vampire Subculture

The theme of the psychic vampire has been a focus within modern vampire subculture. The way that the subculture has manipulated the image of the psychic vampire has been investigated by researchers such as Mark Benecke[14] and A. Asbjorn Jon.[15] Jon has noted that, like the traditional psychic vampires, those of vampire subculture believe that they 'prey upon life-force or 'pranic' energy'.[15]


Sexual Vampires

A related form of psychic vampirism is known as sexual vampirism, where one is said to be able to feed off sexual energy.[16]


See Also


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Vampire's Life? It's Really Draining: Forget 'Twilight.' These Folks Pale in Comparison to the Stereotype. By Monica Hesse, Staff Writer, Washington Post, November 24, 2008, Page C01
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Robinson, Eugene (November 1986). "Anton LaVey". Birth of Tragedy. 
  3. ↑ (Frost 1989, pp. 16–18)
  4. ↑ Radford, Benjamin. "Vampires Among Us: From Bats to Psychics". Live Science. http://www.livescience.com/6009-vampires-bats-psychics.html. 
  5. ↑ Bernstein, Albert (2000). Emotional Vampires. McGraw-Hill.
  6. ↑ Borchard, Therese. "5 Emotional Vampires and How to Combat Them". Psych Central. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/10/27/5-emotional-vampires-and-how-to-combat-them/. 
  7. ↑ Baldino, Rachel G.. "How to Beware of Emotional Vampires Intent on Draining You of All Your Precious Emotional Strength". Sixwise.com. http://www.sixwise.com/newsletters/06/05/31/how_to_beware_of_emotional_vampires_intent_on_draining_you_of_all_your_precious_emotional_strength.htm. 
  8. ↑ Watch out for energy vampires, by Dr. Judith Orloff, CNN, March 11, 2008
  9. ↑ O'Farrell, Peggy (23 September 2004). "'Energy Addict' puts positive spin on life with nutrition and exercise". Cincinnati Enquirer. http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/09/23/tem_energy23.html. 
  10. ↑ Fortune, Dion [1930] (2001). Psychic self-defense. Samuel Weiser.
  11. ↑ Charles and Collins, Carr; The Story of Dion Fortune, Thoth Books, 1998, ISBN 1-870450-33-7, p150,
  12. ↑ (1997) Bram Stoker's Dracula: sucking through the century, 1897–1997. Dundurn Press Ltd.. “LaVey defines psychic vampires as "individuals who drain others of their vital energy... They fill no useful purpose in our lives, and are neither love objects nor true friends.”
  13. ↑ DeNio Stephens, Holly (1997). “The Occult in Russia Today”, Glatzer Rosenthal, Bernice The Occult in Russian and Soviet Culture, 468, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
  14. ↑ Mark Benecke and Aleksandra Blak, 'Vampire Youth Subculture in New York City', presented as a conference paper at the Second World Dracula Congress (Poiana Brasov, Romania: 24–28 May 2000).
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 A. Asbjorn Jon, 'The Psychic Vampire and Vampyre Subculture', in Australian Folklore, 12 (2002), pp. 143–148 (p.145) ISBN 1-86389-831-X
  16. ↑ (Frost 1989, p. 31)


Further Reading

External Links

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