Information for Teen
Vampires and the "Awakening"
I wanted to take some time to go a
little deeper into the things that teens and new vampires need to know. I
covered a lot of it in the previous page, but there are a lot of things
that face young people, and a lot of misinformation and peer pressure.
I've heard of a lot of teens
getting into the vampire lifestyle, or even claiming to be "real vampires"
simply because it's "cool" or "all my friends are doing it". Vampirism is
not a fad. It's not a trend, a manner of dress, or something you'll grow
out of one day. It's a very real and serious part of some people's lives.
While you may "awaken" during your teen years, it's important not to
confuse natural growth and hormone changes with vampirism. Getting bigger,
stronger, more aware, more in tune with the things around you, depression,
rage, and the like are things that we all go through in growing up. None
of these things indicate that your are or are not a vampire. You need to
realize that a true awakening is something that each person comes to in a
different way. There is no initiation, there are no right or wrong ways,
you don't need to be part of a house or club, it all just happens in time.
It can also come much later in life. Many of us try to push back our
feelings and awareness, in an attempt to "fit in" or be "normal". Don't
rush it. If it's part of who you really are, you will come to know it when
the time is right.
Don't let anyone tell you that
being a vampire is "cool" either. Believe me when I say it can suck a lot
of the time. You have cravings, a need for blood or energy that you can
explain, odd sensitivities, abilities you don't understand or can't
control... Being a vampire makes life a lot harder than you might think.
I've seen a lot of teens that get into vampirism and Satanism because they
think it's a form of self-_expression_. It's not. These can be very
dangerous things. When I was in high school, I knew a group of kids that
bought a Necronomicon (what some people think to be a Satanic Bible), and
started drinking blood, wearing black, and being highly antisocial. They
thought they were cool, they thought they were vampires. One of them ended
up dead from a botched blood-letting, and 2 ended up in jail. This is
serious stuff kiddies. If you want to dress in black, if you want to be a
loner or hang with the "odd" crowd, go right ahead. But be careful what
you get into.
I also got an e-mail from a young
girl talking about being part of a "caste" and the requirement to be a
"concubine" or "love slave". This was pretty frightening to me. It not
uncommon, especially for young women, to be lured in by the apparent
allure and sensuality of vampire groups, and be lead into what basically
equates to sexual slavery. If any person or group even insinuates
that sexual acts are a necessary part of being with them or their
"house", you should get away fast, and tell an adult that you trust. You
don't even have to say that it had any relation to vampirism. I don't hold
the idea of servitude too highly either. I think if a person or group
contained actual RLVs, they would be encouraging you to know and empower
yourself, and wouldn't require anything of you, sexual or
otherwise.
It's also important to note that
the claim of anyone to be immortal is probably a load of crap. Granted,
some people look good for their age, but if someone tells you they're 240
years old, they're probably pulling your chain to see how gullible you
are. If anyone claims that they are, or that they can make you - immortal,
forever beautiful, eternally young, abnormally powerful or persuasive,
they're probably not the kind of people you need to be around. There are a
lot of whack-jobs out there, and also a lot of people who seem to have
missed the line between fantasy and reality.
I could go on, but I'll save your
eyes from reading any more right now. Check out the rest of the site. Post
on the boards or e-mail me if you have questions. Listen to your
instincts, and to hell with anyone who thinks you need to act or dress a
certain way to be cool. You are you, and only you can know who you truly
are. I can't tell you if you're a vampire, or if you're just going through
the pains of life, but I can be here to listen, and to help where I can. I
do listen to people. I do respond to people with real
questions and concerns. Don't be afraid, even if you think your question
or problem is stupid. The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask.
You never know, your problem may be something I think really needs to be
addressed, and could prompt me to write a new section that will help other
people, just like you, who are out there worrying and wondering about
these things.
As a side note, if I do write a
section due to a question that you have sent me via e-mail, I will
never use your name or any personally identifiable information
unless you tell me that I can. I value everyone's privacy, and I don't
ever want anyone to feel like their life is going to get broadcast around
the net when they talk to me. I will only discuss the general issue, not
you or your exact situation.
