by Renee Millican

Created on: August 23, 2009   Last Updated: August 24, 2009

Stereotypes that affect living life as a vampire

The general consensus regarding vampires is that they are pale, have pointy teeth, are allergic to garlic, and prey on unsuspecting people for their "oh so precious" life blood, but is that what they are in a literal real life sense? Maybe the people that are just in it for the nifty teeth, but the people that are either sanguine or psychic vampires, not so much. You can't just "take the fangs off" with these people.

In the explanation of what a vampire is, it's important to see what they are not. Pretty much everything you see in the movies is not true; they are normal people with normal lives that happen to need something abnormal. Vampirism is very ancient and only until recently has it become more accepted, at least in the underground. It's not something you would likely be able to pick out in a person unless they dropped hints or had a tattoo on their forehead that said, "Hey, I'm a vampire!" They are living, breathing, and pulsating beings and they die just like any other person. They don't live for thousands of years and they don't burst into flames if touched by a cross. They are people. Simple as that.

The main stereotypes that are associated with people who either identify as or are beings that take energy when needed, is that they are viewed as crazy or just trying to get attention. With overzealous media attention to people like Roderick Ferrell, Daniel and Manuela Ruda, and Richard Chase, we lose sight of the people who are, in fact, as sane as humanly possible. With people like this around and the proponence to being made fun of for saying "Hey, I'm a vampire!" it causes people to stay quiet and be ashamed of themselves. It's hard to get over emotions when you are made to feel like a freak, but that's why there are vampire support groups. These are places where vampires can learn about themselves and act in an ethical manner.

Another stereotype would be that they are something or someone to be afraid of. This is untrue as long as the person is of stable mind. Nothing is taken without permission. Psychic vampires in particular have their own Psychic Vampire Codex written by Michelle Belanger, who is a psychic vampire herself. The reason people are afraid is that it is the unknown and they relate it to the Hollywood movies involving Dracula and the like. Unfortunately, when people are afraid, they may attack one another or avoid you. This should not be a deterrent in telling who you are however,

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