The Psychic Vampire

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What is a psychic vampire? it is someone who feeds off the life force energy of others. Not all psychic vampires are fictional. Some people are like that without actually "sucking" energy. You know, those negative people who constantly moan and complain. The ones that leave you exhausted after each encounter.

My problem is with the delusional schizophrenic psychic vampire I placed in a psych ward. What should I do with him?

My friend Julie didn't feel that this character was authentic or that the other characters' responses to him were realistic.

I based this character on a psych ward client I met while doing a student nurse rotation at a psych hospital in Wisconsin where Jeffrey Dahmer, the Milwaukee Cannibal, stayed. (I didn't meet him, he was on a different unit.) This client had eyes that would stare into your soul when he shared his religious delusions. It was freaky. I don't know what his diagnosis was, but I assume he left at some point since he was on the short-term unit.

I've let the staff in my fictional psych ward ignore my schizophrenic psychic vampire's delusions, but I don't think that is the right approach. I want my readers to feel that schizophrenia isn't a death sentence. I want them to know that no matter what mental illness a person has, that there is a way out.

My research shows that there have been improvements with the treatment of schizophrenia, so there is hope.

But how do I show this?

Well, I do have some experience with dealing with confusion and dementia in the geriatric population which often involves reality orientation (or in some cases, not providing reality orientation). But when dealing with delusions, reality orientation isn't a thing.

Here's the reality of delusions.

Basically, you will feel awkward talking with delusional individuals. You may not know the right thing to say. Even professionals don't always say or do the right thing.

So, what can my characters do?

I'll share with you the basic approaches for dealing with delusions (these also work with someone who has a differing political view)--don't attack, don't agree; remain calm and ask questions.

Sometimes the questions you ask may force people with delusions to see discrepancies with their views and to make them confront evidence that may acknowledge flaws in their logic.

Or you'll realize that you need to just walk away.

So, what did I do?

You'll just have to wait and read my story Off-Step.