Psychosomatic? I Think Not!
by Sarasvati Faolchú



one of the common things I hear when I get e-mails from the curious and skeptical is "How do you know its not all just psychosomatic?" or "How do you know its not just an addiction?" The short answer is that 100%, I don't know... the long answer is I am pretty much 99% sure it's not... and here is why:
1) Psychosomatic signs are generally present after the inciting cause. Take a psychological addiction such as some drugs for example. A person takes the drug, it causes certain feelings of euphoria and pleasure, the person likes that. Thus, they want the drug so they can feel that again. If they don't get the drug, they feel edgy, twitchy, may vomit, etc. The important thing to note, is that the withdrawal symptoms happened AFTER the addiction had established. If sanguinarianism is an addiction, it would be the first and only addiction in which the "withdrawal" symptoms occur BEFORE the "drug" had even been taken. Most sanguins experience the pain, nausea, headaches, etc BEFORE they taste blood. Drinking the blood then makes these problems go away: headaches clear, nausea dissipates, and pain goes away.
2) "Maybe you wanted to be a vampire so badly your mind convinced your body?" IF this were the case, my mind would convince my body it was the kind of vampire commonly seen in books, movies, and games. Therefor, I would have convinced myself I had fangs, would combust in the sun, I would be repulsed by garlic and crosses, unable to cross running water, and doing my hair and makeup in the morning would be VERY hard, as my mind would convince myself I couldn't see my own reflection. Instead, the ONLY thing consistent with all the Hollywood hype is the blood drinking, and even that is not really the same. So, lets make an easy visual chart. I've been told visuals are good...
Trait Fiction Sanguin
Blood Drinking Yes Yes
Fangs Yes, most Yes, a few
Repelled by Crosses/Garlic Yes, usually No
Gastrointestinal Problems? Can't eat food at all Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea
Headaches No Yes
Reflection in Mirror? No Yes
Method of Feeding Bite/Attack Voluntary
Amount of Blood Drank Enough to kill (greater than 3 liters) Small amount (less that 1/2 liter)
"Turned" Yes, usually No
Combust in the Sun Yes, usually No

Why the "usually"? Because the fiction of the vampire is VAST. Authors take the legends and past fiction and vary them to their own creativity. Reading all the fiction, or watching all the movies you get a huge variety. So, I focused on the major books and movies I knew. There are exceptions.
3) I started having related problems in 1992 (the headaches mostly, later nausea and the rest), I first tasted blood in 1994... problems cleared... I found the online sanguin/vampire groups in 1998. Soooo... I had all the signs and problems BEFORE knowing there were others who had almost exactly the same problems. Its really hard to believe that a large group of people could all exhibit the same signs and symptoms before talking to each other. Especially since the signs have little to nothing to do with the fictional concept of the vampire.
So where does this leave us? Alone, hopefully, at least some what. Please realize we run our own circles often enough. We doubt, we fear, and the pain brings us back and reminds us again what we are...but not why. No one likes to be reminded of their doubts, least of all those stuck somewhere between science, mythology, and skepticism. These are the things that haunt my mind every time someone asks one of the questions at the top. I believe its not, because there is too much, in my mind, to say it is.

{Return to Hypothesis/Theories}
{Return to the FAQ} {Return to the Main Menu}
This site maintained by: Sarasvati Faolchú: s_faolchu@yahoo.com
Copyright: 1998-present
view my guest book | sign my guest book
get your free guest book