What are the symptoms of Vampyrism?
I personally, and some others, dislike the term symptoms when referring to Vampyrism as it makes Vampyrism sound like some kind of disease or illness, which it is not. Some also refer to Vampyrism as a condition or energy deficiency, but I personally, and some others, frown upon those terms as well, because it gives Vampyrism a negative connotation. No one knows nor has been able to determine what causes Vampyrism. The leading theory is that Vampyrism may be a combination of genetic, physiological and metaphysical causes. One will often see Vampyrism referred to as a condition, and then compared to some other physiological conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. I personally prefer to refer to symptoms of Vampyrism as Vampyric traits, characteristics and abilities. However, possessing any or all of these traits, characteristics and abilities does not make one a Vampyre as many of these same traits, characteristics and abilities can be accounted for by other reasons. All other explanations (i.e., medical, psychological, environmental, etc.) should be explored before assuming that one has those traits due to Vampyrism. The key factor in determining if one is a Vampyre is going to be if one has a genuine need for life-force energies from outside sources and their traits, characteristics and abilities are tied to their Vampyrism. Also, not all Vampyres will have all traits, characteristics and abilities. Each individual Vampyre is different and may have different traits, characteristics and abilities from each other. Just as every individual is different, every Vampyre is different. Some will have more abilities than others. Some will have more limitations than others.
Physical characteristics:
Pale skin (not all Vampyres, however, are pale)Sensitivity to sunlight physically (i.e., sunburn easily) and/or visuallyVisual sensitivity to any light sourceBetter night vision than day visionEye color changing with mood or for no apparent reasonHeightened sensesUnaccounted-for strength (i.e., stronger than one should be without working out) and quick reflexesOften feels hungry and/or thirsty despite an adequate food dietExtreme cravings for certain types of food or extreme cravings that can not be satisfied with foodOften feel run down, fatigued, tired despite an adequate food diet and activity levelFrequent headaches for no apparent reasonDoes not require very much sleepAble to heal quicker than othersOften get sick with "flu-like" symptoms with no medical explanation when they go without feeding for a period of time
Mental characteristics:
Strong-willed; independent nature; confident Intellectual/highly intelligent Well-learned/educated, although not necessarily school-educated Predatory nature Dark nature (I find this characteristic to be bullshit. There are preppy as well as dark-natured Vampyres.) Prefers night-time over daytime; i.e., Nocturnal nature Moodiness/mood swings/quick-tempered Mental and/or personality disorders (diagnosed by a medical doctor) Psychic abilities (although not necessarily psychic feeding methods) and metaphysical characteristics such as: Empathy Telepathy Mind reading See and read auras Extra-sensory perception (ESP) Clairaudience, being able to mentally hear things from a distance Clairvoyance, being able to mentally see things from a distance Clairsentience, having knowledge that one can not explain Audiovoyance, being able to see and/or hear spirits and possibly communicate with them Telekinesis Pyrokinesis Astral travel/Astral projection/Astral sex Psychometry Invisibility, although not as in the Invisible Man kind of invisibility; the kind of invisibility where one can blend into a setting, room and/or crowd, and not be noticed by anyone looking for them. Precognition/visions Past-life memories, especially Vampyric past-life memories Immortal soul and a belief in reincarnation Experience déjà vu quite frequently Able to sense other Vampyres (often referred to as "Vamp Radar") Involved in "alternative" religions (such as pagan, Wiccan, satanic, etc.) or have "alternative" spiritual beliefs, however, there are Christian Vampyres as well. Most are either born Vampyres or experience an "Awakening" to their Vampyric nature later in life, usually in their teen years but it can happen later in life as well.
The above lists are not all-inclusive lists, as I may have missed some characteristics and abilities, but those are the ones that I could think of at this time. These lists of Vampyre characteristics and traits should not be used as a checklist to determine if one is a Vampyre.
*The above article was written by Sanguinarius! She is a Psy/Sang Vampyre who has much knowledge and I have learned so much from her. I have been reading her articles since I found her website in 2010. If you are still seeking knowledge, I suggest you view her website here: http://www.sanguinarius.org