OMG Digital Magazine OMG Issue 298 1st March 2017 COMPLETE | Page 6

OMG Digital Magazine | 298 | Thursday 1 March 2018 • PAGE 6
SoulFood
Protect
Yourself
from Energy
Vampires
By Anna Yusim, MD
Meet Uncle Frank and Aunt Martha. You see them only once a year over the
holidays. You love them because they are family, but they absolutely drain
you. Maybe "love" is too strong a word. If you're honest with yourself, you
tolerate them. Uncle Frank can't wait to tell you every detail of his latest
aches and pains, whereas Aunt Martha thrives on pointing out what's wrong
with just about everybody, including you. When you're with them, you feel
trapped and can't wait to escape. After you leave, you feel depleted. Do
Uncle Frank and Aunt Martha remind you of anybody you know?
Energy vampires are people who feed off others' energy to compensate
for a lack of their own. Whether they are too negative, needy, jealous, self-
centered, paranoid, passive-a ggressive or judgmental, an energy vampire
will metaphorically suck your lifeblood and leave you empty. You know that
you're in the presence of an energy vampire if you leave every interaction
with him or her feeling overwhelmed, mentally or physically drained,
irritable, anxious, stressed out or even physically ill. Hmm...where did that
headache come from?
If you are somebody who is particularly sensitive to the energy of others,
sometimes called a highly sensitive person (HSP) or empath, you will feel
the effects of energy vampires even more intensely. Coined by Elaine
Aron, PhD, the phrase "highly sensitive persons" refers to people who are
especially aware of subtleties in their environment and are highly affected
by the moods of others. The term "empath," created by intuitive psychiatrist
Judith Orloff, MD, describes individuals with an innate ability to sense what's
going on in those around them—both physically and emotionally—as if it
were happening to themselves. This is a wonderful thing when the people
around you are kind and positive. It's much more difficult, perhaps even
toxic and downright draining, if you're interacting with an energy vampire.
The best way to deal with energy vampires, regardless of whether you're
an empath, is to realize who they are. Here is a simple strategy to help you
identify energy vampires in your life. Although you can do it mentally, it
may help to quickly write your answers down (just let the thoughts, feelings,
sensations and images come to you and then put them into words).
What kinds of qualities in other people do you find emotionally draining or
exhausting? What kinds of people do you find it difficult to be around?
Are there currently any such people in your life with whom you don't feel
you have set appropriate boundaries?
What would setting firmer boundaries with these people look like? What
would be the benefit of setting such boundaries?
What keeps you from doing this?
As action steps, choose one energy vampire in your life and then commit to
setting a firmer boundary with this person. This may mean saying no when
you would ordinarily say yes. It may mean limiting the time you spend with
this person or the mental energy you give this person when you are not with
him or her. Remember: As soon as you begin to feel depleted, whether this
means being tired, anxious, stressed out or physically ill, it's time to bid the
energy vampire farewell. Sorry, Uncle Frank and Aunt Martha, but I gotta go!