I have truly only lightly touched upon this subject elsewhere, so, here an addendum. One of the things that myth got right was that SOME vampires need blood (sanguinarians)...others can pull straight energy (psyvamps). I, however, am of the former, therefore, that is what I focus on. I know some people look and wonder "What is it like to need blood." Well, I could describe it to you, but it would not be quite the same... there simply aren't really words for what it feels like. It would be like asking "What is it like to be human"... few can really answer because they don't know what to compare it to. Same here, this is all I remember and so I have nothing to compare it to. I will try anyway, through notes of my own and articles by others, to give you a fair picture of the situation. May you never find yourself knowing by experience.

To begin with, well, I really don't know where to begin. Lets say right after a drink...fair start.

After drinking I find myself cheery, and sometimes super-hyper. Like an energy rush or caffeine high. My thoughts are clear and understandable, everything makes sense and I can focus on anything before me with little distraction. My body is light and without pain. No aches or hungry feelings. This may last for anywhere from two hours to twenty-four, depending on how much I had, stress, exertion, over-stimulation, type of blood (animal or human), and other things. I wake up easily the next morning and can hardly get to sleep the night before... though from energy, not insomnia. The sleep I do get is perfect and restful. I wake refreshed and not groggy the next day. After this time I am a calm "normal" person for a goodly period of time...no craving, no super perkiness. I can still wake up in the morning no matter how late I was up the night before. This is often the time I get the most useful stuff done :) I begin to want to drink again after about two days. After about two weeks, depending on stress and stimulation, the craving will begin to creep back strongly. All I can think about is blood, and when/how I am going to get some. About this time my hand or foot begins to shake. I really have no idea why this is so, my best theory is it is my brain trying to give me something else to think about, but I have no other ideas. I will also become lethargic and depressed and my body aches constantly. It's a low level ache in my body and like a small headache in my mind. It's tough to concentrate because of it and no pain killers I have tried work worth much. I start using various methods of suppressing or delaying the need. Many of these methods can be found in the article Coping With Blood Famine by Blood Brother C For me, the best methods are ice or other cold substances and salty things. Another suggestion put forth by Liz was fruits. I can put off extreme craving this way for a couple hours, it suppresses the needful hungry/thirsty feeling, but the aches and lack of concentration are not effected by it. I also have to avoid setting myself off. Such things as caffeine (concentrated such as Jolt or Mt. Dew), gory movies, the sight of blood all serve to set me off pretty well, and so I try to avoid them. Also things that stimulate my taste buds such as spicy foods, I tend to avoid if possible.

Once the extreme craving hits, though, it is difficult to resist. The extreme occurs at about twenty days for me...at this point I loose track of conversation quickly because I am not paying much attention to what you are saying so much as counting the number of vessels I can see in say, your arm, or your forehead. :) I get really grouchy with people as well, my temper is fuse short, I swear more, and I tend to try and disguise this by acting more silly than usual. It goes in a wave type of form, but irregular, with ups and downs through not only the week but days and hours at times. My friends see it as am increase in biting remarks, bluntness, and at some times extreme goofiness. Things that normally wouldn't bother me begin to be major irritants. Through practice I have learned to keep most of this from showing, but I still notice it in my thought patterns and occasionally when others point out that I am being "bitchy". For example, my roommate commented to me once that I was being a real bitch before I took a weekend off (and happened to get a Drink), but when I came back I was very perky *L* This is when I spend a lot of time hoping that no one, who doesn't share, cuts themselves. I probably don't look real friendly staring at a bleeding wound and drooling. :) I have had this happen before, though, and it is not pleasant. Try explaining to someone why you are looking at the spot on the wall, or you are grabbing onto the railing white-knuckled and not helping them care for their wound, touchy dilemma.

After very long times (months) these waves begin to get more severe, though less frequent. Instead of a couple times a day they might occur a couple times a week. But, inversely, instead of minor distraction causing and minor aches, the feelings can be complete inability to think and severe non-point specific pain. This has laid me out on my side a couple of times as the pain and distraction leave me unable to do anything.

Other pieces play in the puzzle as well, however. There is the Beast. An actual term, not WW's. This is the state of a sanguinarian who is frustrated, either by lack of blood, lack of understanding, or both. The only experience I have had with this part of my nature is when I get really angry, frustrated, or, once, during high arousal *grimace*. It is not pleasant at all. I tend to forget that whoever I see is human, is feeling. I want to chase something, catch it. It is animalistic and bestial with little to no ethics. I try very hard to keep this part of me well under check. Perhaps the best description of what it is like is instinct. Its more animal then human, and my mannerisms become more animalistic as well, such as growling under my breath and baring my teeth when annoyed. My bestial self decides that if I am not going to satisfy the Thirst some way, then it will kick in and try to do it for me however it can. Will power and practice can control it, but it is not a pleasant experience to realize you were visualizing how to go about chowing down on a friend...permission or not. In myself it can has lasted everywhere from a few fleeting seconds to a couple hours. This has few outward signs other then the staring and mannerisms. Inadvertent comments can also be a sign. This portion is the most dangerous to be in, for the signs are few and it is the mind that is under the influence of the blood need. If you find yourself even thinking you might be here, remove yourself from the situation if you can... go to the bathroom, empty hallway, outside, wherever, and work it off or wait it out. A good way I have found to work it out is to exhaust your body in other ways, such as jogging or workout. I take a JuJitsu/Karate class that serves this purpose to a tee. If I feel like attacking something before the class, I am usually too worn to even consider doing anything afterwards *L* A note on that as well. Martial Arts classes are good not only as a way to wear down the Beast, but also to learn control. By practicing controlling how much power to put into a move and how to train your mind, it helps to be able to strengthen ones will and be able to resist the effects of the Beast too.

The second piece is Twoofing. This part doesn't seem to need a stimulus after a certain amount of days. It comes and goes when it pleases and usually at the worst times. Like the Beast, it is a reaction that revves the body up to drink, however it is more of a physical reaction rather then the mental one of the Beast. Usually it is accompanied by a swift pulse, rapid breathing (panting) and, in my case, an increase in saliva production, AKA, drooling. Your body reacts without your mind. I found myself taking deeper breaths and clenching and unclenching the muscles in my hands and legs, this is not a good thing if one is near to someone else. I have had to physically remove myself from the presence of other people in order to calm down and become "normal". Usually I will get really fidgety and seem to pull into myself in an effort to stop the reaction. This part usually lasts longer then the Beast, in myself from 30 minutes to 5 hours at a time. I have also had to have other people intervene to calm me. Willpower and practice can control this to, but the physical signs are not pleasant ones to cope with nor try to explain to someone. {Uh, no... I've just been *pant pant* uh, jogging... yeah... *pant pant* jogging} The Beast will often manifest itself at this time as well.

Though separate in their own right, the Beast and Twoofing will often work in tandem with each other, though I have found Twoofing occurs more often then Beasting.

Repression, this is something I had heard of and have heard others say they have tried. From what I gather, after a non specific number of days, the craving loses some hold, and dies down. The sanguin will still go through periods of thirst, but they are farther apart and less urgent. The sanguine is never completely rid of the Thirst, but it is more controllable. So far, all I can tell is this "nonspecific number of days" is greater then eight months... Though, a fair point to make here is You are most likely not going to die without getting a drink of blood. It might feel like that, and it is greatly, severely, painful and annoying, but you will survive. More about this can be found on Sanguinarius' FAQ pages.

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