How to spot an emotional vampire

Something's strange about your friend Jerry. Every time you're around him he has this indescribable power over you: you feel weak, helpless and tired, and he effortlessly lowers your self-esteem using the power of conversation. You've been friends since elementary school, but lately it seems he's developed a dark side. Your friend Jerry is an emotional vampire, and he can drain the life right out of you.

Now, before you get your Twilight undies in a twist, know that this is not something to be excited about. These hellions are nothing like the mysterious, brooding characters we know and love from literature and film. UCLA psychiatrist Dr. Judith Orloff is the Van Helsing of emotional vampires, and she knows these creatures are far from mythical.

"They are self-obsessed and compulsively negative people. They love gossiping, passing judgement and they get a charge out of making you upset," she explains.

Falling victim to a series of these vampire attacks can result in overeating, anxiety and depression.

Friends that suck
Emotional vampires come in all shapes and sizes, so they can be difficult to spot. There are no dead giveaways like a lack of reflection, or an aversion to sunlight, but there is a good chance your brain-draining friends fall into one of the following categories.

The narcissist: Your sister calls and you hesitate to pick up. When she's not listing her latest accomplishments or bragging about her jam-packed social schedule and amazing boyfriend, she's tuning out everything you say that doesn't involve her. You wish she loved you as much as she loves herself.

The victim: Your co-worker spends so much time complaining about his life (including his recent divorce, his sick cat and your mutual superior) that he barely finds time to tend to his workload. You're left picking up the slack, but you really just want to pick him up and throw him out the window.

Page 1 of 2 - find out the other types of emotional vampires on page 2!