Are you sucking the life out of your friends?
Some people can just drain your energy — and not because you’ve had so much fun together.
Nicknamed “energy vampires,” these people deplete your emotional energy, either intentionally or not.
In the show “What We Do in the Shadows,” the “energy vampire” character Colin Robinson sucks the life out of those around him, boring them with small talk and unnecessary factoids in his need to feed.
But there are many different types of these kinds of dreadful people, Alla Svirinskaya, an energy healer to the stars and author of the best-selling book “Energy Rules,” revealed to the Daily Mail.
The Chatterbox
Have you ever left a conversation realizing you did most of the talking? It might be pushing your friends away.
Alla says: “The other person often feels trapped, unsure how to interrupt your monologue. They end up drained by your relentless demand for attention.
“It’s crucial to engage with people instead of talking at them,” she advised.
The Manipulator
Some people seem to only reach out when they want something whether it be an invite or some advice.
“As soon as someone realizes they are being used for their connections and contacts and their generosity has been abused, it can result in a long-lasting lack of trust in new people,” Alla told the Daily Mail.
“Healthy friendships should benefit both parties.”
The Negative Nelly
Do you see the glass half empty? Well, having to refill your cup and reframe your mindset takes a lot out of your friends.
“Behaving in this way can make the other person doubt themselves and their own positive outlook. They have to ‘shrink’ their light to accommodate your shadow. You need to take things less personally, accept people make mistakes and stop twisting narratives to support your idea that everything is negative and hopeless. It isn’t!” she said.
The Gossip
Most people love to get together and have a little gab sesh with their besties. But when you’re always gossiping about others and judging everyone, it can get tiring.
“People often do this to boost their own low self-esteem. They uplift themselves by bringing others down. Eventually, friends will stop trusting you and your friendships will become shallow and void of any intimate connection,” Alla said.
The Showboat
It’s normal to talk about your accomplishments with your friends, but some people have a talent for turning every conversation around to brag about themselves.
“Even if a friend initiates a conversation about their success or glory, this person will find a way to turn it into how incredible they are,” Alla explained.
“Your friends begin to feel like mere mirrors that you use to admire your own reflection. You make people feel lonely in your presence due to your self-absorption and lack of empathy.”
The Eternal Victim and Martyr
Is the world against you? Well, if you always act like the victim or martyr your friends might be soon enough.
“These people often ask friends for advice and then lose interest if the friend doesn’t support their victim narrative,” Alla said.
“People feel drained when you turn them into a rubbish bin to dump your toxic venting onto, while martyrs suffocate others with their projected guilt.”
