Energy Vampires

11 Types of Energy Vampires and how to deal with them


How do you deal with energy vampires? If you have ever been around one, then you know that they can be quite draining to your own energy levels. This post will talk about the eleven types of energy vampires at work and how to handle them when they come into contact with your personal space.

What is an Energy Vampire and what are the different types?

Energy vampires are people or things in our environment that suck the life out of us. They drain our emotional and physical energy by taking more than they give in return. Energy vampires can sap our energy and make us feel like we are less than what we could be, but the good news is that there are ways to deal with them.

There are several types of energy vampires in the workplace. These include:

1. The Passive-Aggressive Energy Vampire

Passive-aggressive energy vampires don’t say what they mean or do what you ask of them but will ensure everyone knows how much effort they’re putting into the project when it’s getting close to completion. These are people who will say one thing to your face, and then behind closed doors, they’ll say something else or not do what you asked of them. In most cases, they also play the victim so that others feel sorry for them and help out with their work.

Passive Aggressive Energy Vampires

What you can do: As much as you can, get some space between yourself and the energy vampire. This will help to reduce how negative they are on your personal energy levels. Speak up about what you need to feel good at work. If an energy vampire is stealing too much of your energy, it’s time to speak up. It would be best to let people know how far they can go before there are consequences for them. For example, if someone asks too many personal questions or talks about their problems all the time when you’re trying to focus on your work, state what those limitations are and stick with them. A lot of times, people don’t even know that they’re an energy vampire! They might not mean for it to happen, and when you talk with them about the behaviors, they’ll likely have no idea what you are talking about. When this happens, ask if they are willing to work on changing their behavior.

2. The Narcissistic Energy Vampire

Narcissist energy vampires can be identified by their arrogance and incredibly inflated sense of self-worth. They’ll often act like they’re better than you or talk about themselves in a way that insults others because it puts them on top. What’s worse, they’ll often have a “false sense of empathy” and be aware that what they’re doing is wrong or hurtful. This type of energy vampire will stop at nothing to get their way no matter what the cost to themselves or other people around them.

What you can do: If you are in an environment where there are only a few hours before you’re going to interact with the energy vampire, it’s best to take care of yourself. This means that in these cases, you might want to eat something home-cooked or make a cup of tea as soon as possible because this will help your body and mind be ready for an interaction with someone who is draining your energy.

3. The Energetic Energy Vampire

Energetic energy vampires often want to do everything but don’t know what they’re doing. They will follow you around and ask for help on a task that’s not your responsibility, which creates an environment of chaos where there is no long-term goal or sense of direction. These people might be considered “energy vampires” because they have a great deal of energy and want to use it in every way possible but can’t focus or complete anything.

What you can do: If you’re feeling overwhelmed at work by an energetic vampire, find ways to help them feel less anxious about their work so that they don’t need to ask you about it. For instance, if they have more work than their time allows them for the day, and they’re feeling stressed out, schedule some of that work into your daily tasks so that they won’t feel like everything is on their shoulders. If there’s a task that can be delegated to someone else to help the energetic energy vampire with their work, it’s best to let them know this so that they can stay on track.

4. The Slow-Mo Energy Vampire

One of the most draining energy vampires is someone who moves slower than everyone else–slow-mo energy vampires. The slow-mo vampire will take up more space in meetings or conversations and make others feel insignificant in the process. These energy vampires know precisely how to push your buttons, too–and it’s usually by putting you down or pointing out all of your flaws. They’ll often use guilt as a tool and will have no problem playing on those emotions until they get what they want.

What you can do: The best way to deal with a slow-mo energy vampire is by remaining calm and focused. You mustn’t engage in an argument or emotional discussion about the situation because it will make things worse for both of you. Instead, remain emotionally detached from what they’re saying and let them know how their behavior makes you feel–in a calm, objective way.

5. The Gossip Vampire

The gossip vampires love to talk about others and will do anything for a juicy piece of gossip, which can quickly turn into an office rumor mill. They like to be around drama because it gives them a sense of importance and power.

Energy Vampires

What you can do: The best way to handle these types is by tuning them out or, more bluntly, saying, “I don’t want to hear it,” when they ask for your opinion on the latest office rumor.

6. Know-it-all energy vampires

They know it all is an energy vampire that feeds off your insecurity of not knowing something. They provide answers for everything before anyone can ask the question. They will interrupt you and tell you how to do tasks they are not even required to help with. These energy vampires also pretend to know things when they don’t, which is why it’s hard for them to admit when they’re wrong or have been misinformed.

What you can do: Try to avoid these energy vampires by not giving them the opportunity. If you interact with one, try asking questions and making them explain their answer before accepting it as your action plan. Limit exposure if possible.

7. Manipulative energy vampires

These are energy vampires that feed off of taking control and feeling like they’re in charge. They will often use emotional blackmail or guilt to get what they want from you. They may convince you that their way is the only option by using your own fears and insecurities against you, such as telling you it’s not good enough because of XYZ reasons.

What You Can Do: These energy vampires are typically hard to deal with as they are experts in manipulation. They know how to use your own fears against you and make it seem like their way is the only option available to you when other options exist, but they have not mentioned because those would take control away from them. If you find yourself dealing with a manipulative energy vampire, it’s best to have a backup plan or escape route ahead of time. You may also want to seek outside help and advice from someone who is not emotionally involved in the situation with these energy vampires.

8. Egomaniacal energy vampires

The Egomaniacal energy vampire thrives on feeling like they’re the center of attention. They will not take no for an answer and will do whatever it takes to get what they want, even if that means stepping all over you to be at the top.

What you can do: These energy vampires are hard to deal with because they feed off of your insecurities and will use them against you. The best thing is to limit exposure as much as possible, whether that’s by distancing yourself from these energy vampires or keeping interactions short. Try not to engage if possible because even the slightest interaction will give these energy vampires more power over you.

9. Negative energy vampires

Negative energy vampires do nothing but complain, point out flaws in everything and everyone, and never offer solutions or help to anyone. You can spot these energy vampires a mile away because they will tell you all the ways things should be done better than it is currently being done. They have an opinion on every matter, and they will freely give it to you. They are the energy vampires that feed off your negative emotions and create conflict in a situation. It is essential not to feed this type of energy vampire because they will only continue doing it.

Negative Energy Vampires

What you can do: The best way to deal with a negative person when you are at work is by remaining calm and find ways to distract them from the negativity without becoming angry or defensive yourself. When dealing with a negative person, be sure not to take anything they say personally. Stand up for yourself when necessary but do so without attacking back or getting emotional because this will only worsen things. Point out the positive in any situation and focus on how they can help you with a solution or plan of action, rather than just supplying their opinion. Try to limit exposure and interactions with these energy vampires. If you can’t, try to make the environment more positive by adding light or calming and soothing music.

10. Melodramatic energy vampires

There is no shortage of these people at work, and they don’t take “no” for an answer so easily. They will try to draw you into their drama with them and make you feel like it’s your job to fix them. They are extremely sensitive and will often use their emotions as a weapon against you. The minute they feel like they’re going to lose something or someone, they’ll start throwing tantrums and making everything about themselves instead of being able to take it with a sense of dignity.

What you can do: These energy vampires are hard to deal with because they feed off your emotions and will try to turn it back on you when the time comes for them to make things better or fix a situation that has gone wrong. The best thing you can do is limit exposure and interactions as much as possible while still maintaining a respectful distance. You do not want to allow these energy vampires to manipulate you and feed off your emotions.

11. The Dependent energy vampires

This person is often a co-worker that will take advantage of your generosity and kindness. If you have ever been around one, they may seem like the nicest people in the office, but deep down inside, these energy vampires are only out to get what they can from others without giving back anything in return. The Dependent energy vampire thrives on feeling needed and will often try to guilt-trip you into giving them what they want. These people are also demanding, which is why it’s hard for them to balance their needs with the wants of others.

What You Can Do: These energy vampires are hard to deal with because they will use your sense of compassion and empathy against you. They may guilt trip or manipulate to get something from you, which is why they must know that their needs come second. The best thing is to set clear boundaries and establish your needs in the situation without being confrontational about it. These people must know when their demands affect others, which will help them learn how to maintain balance in the future.

A good tip is not to give these energy vampires what they want until a reasonable amount of time has passed. For example, if they ask for money or help on a project that’s due tomorrow, don’t give it to them until the day after so that you can weigh their needs with your wants and desires.

Wrap up

Understanding the types of energy vampires is essential to deal with them effectively. The best way to handle these people is by setting boundaries and knowing your own needs. Knowing this can help you maintain balance when interacting with an energy vampire.


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