Vampire lifestyle

The vampire lifestyle or vampire subculture is an alternative lifestyle. The vampire subculture has stemmed largely from the goth subculture, but also incorporates some elements of the sadomasochism subculture. The Internet provides a prevalent forum for the subculture along with other media such as glossy magazines devoted to the topic.

Many self-professed vampires actively resent the term "lifestylers", as it tends to carry the connotation that vampirism is not real.

Active vampirism within the vampire subculture includes both sanguinarian vampirism, which involves blood consumption, and psychic vampirism, whose practitioners believe they are drawing spiritual nourishment from auric or pranic energy.

The vampire and therian subcultures are related to the otherkin community, and are considered part of it by most otherkin, but are culturally and historically distinct movements of their own despite some overlap in membership.

Like Dracula and other literary vampires, some traditions of modern vampires drink blood, either animal or human, although human is preferred. They claim they need blood to make up for a deficiency of proper energy processing within the body, or that it helps them gain energy and strength.

Sex researchers have documented cases of people with sexual (paraphilic) vampirism and autovampirism.

Contrary to popular belief, members of the vampire subculture range beyond simply those who drink blood. Such members tend to congregate into small clans, usually called covens or "houses," in a tribal culture to find acceptance among others that share their beliefs. Generally vampirism is not considered a religion but a spiritual or philosophical path. There are also many modern vampires that are not part of a coven, but rather are solitary. Most vampire enthusiasts wear regular or ordinary clothes for the area they live in to avoid being ostracized. In addition, some play as hybrids, human vampires that take both blood and energy. There are four main types of vampire lifestylers:

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