or...am I a vampire?

This is a difficult question because the symptoms

are many and vary widely but

I'll try to list as many as I can.

I think it's best to start with the really obvious ones.

A hunger for blood!

Similar to the cravings which come from addictions

(any smokers who've ever tried to quit

will know what I mean).

This one is the first one everyone thinks

of although it's only really indicative

of a sanguinarian type vampire(

there are those of us who are

both sanguinarian and psi types).

Satisfying this craving generally leaves

the vampire feeling invigorated and with a sense of relief.

If ignored or unstated however,

this can make the vampire weak,

irritable,

moody and in some cases physically ill.

An increased sensitivity to sunlight or U.V. lamps

such as 'black lights'.

This includes increased susceptibility to sunburn

(and a feeling of burning on the skin in sunlight),

and hypersensitive eyes, even in low light.

(I personally need sunglasses even on rainy days and

I know other vampires who can even get sunburned on such days).

This is what leads some vampires to become nocturnal.

Increased sensory acuteness!

This means somewhat heightened senses

ie. hearing, smell, vision

(including night vision),

taste, and touch.

For example running your hand over an ostensibly smooth surface

and noticing imperfections where no-one else would,

hearing the t.v. whining or being able to smell

what the people down the street are cooking.

This comes in degrees from empathy to clairvoyance

I myself am unusually empathic.

It does not apply, by any means,

to all vampires but it is reported often enough that it cannot be ignored as a symptom

Unpredictable behavior!

Most people will write this off as 'mood swings'.

It generally happens when you are in fairly dire need to feed.

This symptom exhibits itself as anger or frustration.

This is caused by a seperate facet of

the personality which is commonly referred to

in the vampire community as

'The Beast'.

It is vitally important to stay in control

of these feelings and behavioral patterns

and identify them for what they are.

Remember if you don't control the beast, it controls you.

This applies specifically to psi vampires.

Many are not even aware that they are doing it

(it should never be done deliberately without

the other persons consent as that

would be a violation of their rights.

They may not know you're doing it but that doesn't mean we can abandon morality).

The other person will grow tired while the vampire

becomes increasingly more energetic.

This often leads to a tendency in psi vampires

to dominate conversation thereby

keeping all the energy focused on themselves.

Secondary symptoms!

Some other traits that I have heard

reported include pounding headaches,

gastric problems (sensitivity to certain foods or lactose intolerance),

depression,

a feeling of isolation or above average intelligence.

Any of these traits that you may experience should,

of course, be checked out by a doctor first

(except the intelligence)

and do not necessarily indicate vampirism,

but in conjunction with the primary symptoms (blood cravings etc.)

I believe they make a good guide