People get really confused when I say I’m a vampire. I don’t sleep in a coffin, hiss at crucifixes (I just hiss at men I don’t know who try to talk to me), or live in Transylvania. Instead, I live in Providence, Rhode Island. Being a real vampire doesn’t equate to never aging, or sinking my fangs into someone; it’s a spiritual path.
The technical terms are “psychic vampire” or “energy vampire,” meaning I take energy from others instead of being able to just have my own content supply. There are two ways of doing this. Ambient energy, which is the energy around someone but not on them (think PVD Fest or a concert) or a deeper feeding, the energy inside someone, which requires consent.
Sometimes my friends have been like “I have anxiety for days. Take my energy.” So at that point, I’d set them down, put my hands on their shoulders if they’re cool with it, and slurp in that energy. It’s very much akin to reiki and meditation. Energy work is breath work.
Do I wear fangs, red makeup, and dress like a stereotypical fictional vampire? Absolutely. I even have a TikTok and Instagram (thevampirehellie and Vampirehellie respectively) committed to just that! Dressing as a fictional vampire makes me feel beautiful and empowered. But vampirism, along with witchcraft and paganism, is part of my spirituality, and I don’t need to look like a fictional vampire to be a real vampire. While some who practice vampirism tend to stray away from theatrics, I’m a nerd, and I’m goofy, and I see no need to hide that part of myself.
Today, there are approximately 5,000 people in the United States and thousands more around the world who openly practice vampirism. There are tons of stories just like mine to be found on every platform online. Even still, for all the work that has been done collectively to embrace different walks of life, anyone who comes out and says, “I practice vampirism,” is met with a ton of people mass reporting their social media and calling them fake. These harassers don’t care to understand energy work, or glamour magic, they simply associate it with fantasy.
In modern society, people have finally stopped fictionalizing witches. People know real witches aren’t green and real witches can’t fly on brooms. Yet there is a fun blend to be had of the real and fictional. My hope is that one day, real vampires can have the same treatment. That we are allowed to embrace our practice and still be whimsical without being called “fake.” Many practicing vampires do not don the stereotypical lifestyle of hoarding exorbitant wealth, owning a castle, and never seeing anyone. I, for example, work at two bookstores, manage social media, and play for the Providence Drum Troupe (all while the sun is still out) and this has no effect on my spiritual practice. As a topic of open discussion, this is quite new (even though vampires have been around since the ancient Egypt days), so confusion or misunderstanding from the public may be understandable, but I feel the need to state overtly that vampires ARE real; we just don’t look like Dracula.
I would like to squash some misconceptions. Being a real vampire does not mean I drink… well, you know. No. I just want the good vibes. I also haven’t made any sacrifices to Satan, and I really like garlic especially if it’s pickled and spicy. Vampirism is also not a religion, it’s a path. It’s energy work. I enjoy reading tarot and doing spell work as well, which are also not religions. Paganism is my religion, but all across the world, there are vampires with many different religions and beliefs; some practice no religion at all.
The sun, though, is an interesting element of vampirism. As I mentioned, I am perfectly capable of wandering out in the daylight without burning to ash, but it is not always comfortable. I, along with others who have shared their experiences online, have reported feeling drained and nauseous in direct sunshine. I wish we could just sparkle in the light instead. Oh well.
Living in Providence openly as a vampire has been one of the best experiences. I’m from Ohio originally, and while the people who mattered were very supportive of my spirituality, others were not and I even lost friends over it. Here in PVD though, not a single person has laughed, told me I need God, or said they’d pray for me to return to Jesus. They’re either like, “Okay cool, I’m a witch so I get it,” or they’ve been introduced to a new concept and think it’s the coolest thing ever. It speaks to just how open minded this city is, and that’s a beautiful thing to see.
So. I am a real vampire who still thinks fictional vampires are fun, and I’d like to be living proof that you can be a layered person. You can be whimsical and still live your life authentically as yourself.
TikTok: thevampirehellie
Instagram: Vampirehellie