 Is there someone in your life who makes you feel emotionally exhausted by just being around them? Do you know anyone who leaves you feeling upset, anxious, or stressed out whenever you're with them? These kinds of people are what psychologists call energy vampires. Their name does such because they feed on our emotional energy, sucking us dry of emotion. But make no mistake, not everyone you dislike, disagree with, or find hard to get along with is an energy vampire. In fact, a recent article by NBC News actually states that energy vampires are often friends, family members, and co-workers who feed on our willingness to listen, attend, and care for others. Which can leave us feeling mentally and emotionally drained. If this sounds unsettlingly familiar to you, then you might want to learn more about these six types of people who suck your energy. The issue maker. A common kind of energy vampire, the issue maker, is that person who loves to gossip, create conflict, and push other people's buttons, just because they thrive in crisis and love to stir up trouble just so they can be the center of attention. They often make mountains out of molehills just to gain the sympathy of others because they have an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Dr. Christian Northrup even suggests in her book Dodging Energy Vampires, an empath's guide to evading relationships that drain you and restoring your health and power, that many energy vampires have similarities with those diagnosed with antisocial, borderline, and or narcissistic personality disorder. The freeloader. Another type of energy vampire a lot of us encounter is the freeloader. As you can probably guess from their name, they often lurk in our schools and workplaces. It could be a slacker groupmate who isn't pulling their weight, or a manager who leaves you to do all the heavy lifting yourself, then swooping in to take the credit. Either way, the freeloader is known to prey on those too polite or too powerless to push back against them, according to NYU psychology professor Tessa West, author of Jerks at Work, Toxic Coworkers and What to Do About Them. The Self-Victimizing. An article by the Berkeley Well-Being Institute describes the self-victimizing type of energy vampire as the kind of person who doesn't know how to take responsibility for their actions or admit their mistakes. Another, they blame everyone else for whatever goes wrong in their life, and often expect others to care-take them for it. Their woe-as-me attitude makes them seem like hypocrites to everyone but themselves, and their constant need for you to take their side in a firm-less mindset can be emotionally draining. The dominating. There's a kind of energy vampire that always tries to one-up you. Never wanting to be outdone or outshone, these people don't want to share the spotlight. Narcissistic and envious. They can't be happy for you when you share good news with them. Instead, they try to put you down with backhanded compliments and thinly veiled insults. People who love to feel superior over others, like the dominating energy vampire, can be exhausting to be around because of how they constantly compete with you over the tiniest things. The acting won't let you in. And they feel the need to put you down just to make themselves feel good. The chronic critic. Next, we have the chronic critic. A type of energy vampire who gets their kick out of constantly criticizing those around them, preying on all your insecurities. And while it may seem obvious enough that people like this are red flags to your mental health, it can sometimes be difficult to recognize this behavior in others, especially if they're close friends who appear friendly and well-intentioned. Don't be fooled, though. This kind of energy vampire will suck all your confidence dry if you're not careful. According to an article from Psychology Today written by psychologist Dr. Sherry Borg Carter, energy vampires are overly critical and find fault with just about everyone and everything in their lives. The fake friend in need. Last, but not the least, is the fake friend in need, eager to exploit your good nature and use it against you. This type of energy vampire will first try to get close to you. Only then will they start asking for favors, leaching off any kindness, sympathy, or understanding you show them. Usually, they'll try to monopolize your time by always asking for your help and guilting you into doing things you may not even want nor have the time and energy for. Demanding, but emotionally manipulative enough not to seem like it. They have no problem taking advantage of your kindness because they never take no for an answer. Now, did going through this list bring anyone in particular to mind? Do you think there might be certain people in your life who suck your energy and leave you feeling drained? Whoever this person might be. Always remember that it's not selfish to want to protect your own peace of mind and keep yourself from getting sucked dry by energy vampires. Practicing good self-care and establishing clear, healthy boundaries and keep you from getting overwhelmed by their negative energy. And by recognizing their problematic behaviors and trying to put an end to it, either by distancing yourself or calling them out on it, you are not only protecting yourself, but also others they might be victimizing to. So what kind of energy vampire do you need to be wary of most? Now do you plan to deal with them?