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1. What did you learn about the topic that most surprised you? What surprised me the most about this topic was how many different types of vampires they believed there was. You only ever really hear about the standard vampire that you see in the movies and not all the different myths.

2. Provide a real-life example of how this topic is relevant or interesting for you. This topic is interesting to me because I am a big fan of all the vampire movies and TV shows that they have made. I am also a big fan of the supernatural things that are said to have happened in the world.

3. Which research did you find most interesting?  Why? The research I found most interesting was the video about the male saying he was a real life vampire. I found this the most interesting because you would never think that someone would actually believe they were a vampire and that they actually consume the blood of other humans.

4. What are you most likely to remember from this research? I am most likely to remember how many different types of vampire myths there actually were because I never imagined there could be so many different types.

5. Having completed all the course content, which pseudoscience belief do you think is most harmful?  Which is least harmful?  I think the most harmful pseudoscience belief is the Emotional Connection. This is most harmful because it could lead to serious damage to someone. Such has draining someone bank account by using their emotional connection. The least harmful belief is Patternicity. I believe this is the least harmful because a lot of the times people just have fun with the images they see in objects. Everyone loves to see what cool hidden things are in inanimate objects.

6. If you could pass on your knowledge to a family member or friend, what do you think is the most important thing to pass on? I think the most important thing I could pass on to a family member or friend is to make sure you are always using your critical thinking skills so you are not passing along false information that could potentially end up hurting someone.

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This picture is of a Strigoi. In Romanian mythology they are known as troubled spirits who are said to have risen from death. They have abilities to transform into animals, become invisible and gain vitality from the blood of their victims.

Connection:
This can be a connection to the belief of Agenticity. When strange things happen, such as a grave being emptied with no sign of the body and then a person gets the blood drained from them, people want to have an explanation for what happened. They will then assign this invisible agent that they heard of so they have an answer as to what happened.

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This picture is of Ambrogio, the legend of the first vampire. It was said that he went to the Temple of Apollo to ask for Selena's hand in marriage. The temple of Apollo didn't like this as he wanted Selena as his own and put a curse on Ambrogio. He would be burned by the sunlight whenever it touched his skin. He then stole from Artemis and got cursed by the touch of silver. Artemis then felt pity for Ambrogio and gave him super strength, immortality and fangs.

Connection:
This is a connection to Ancient Wisdom has it is speaking about ancient gods. Apollo was the sun god, Selena was the Oracle of the temple and Artemis was the goddess of the hunt. Everyone has their own beliefs and the gods are one of the main unexplained beliefs. No one has seen them, but yet continue to believe in everything that they hear about them and what they did.

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This picture is of Countess Elizabeth Bathory. She was born in Hungary in the year 1560 and died in 1614. During her living years, she was known to have the blood of her victims on her hands. She would have her enemies brought to her and then would bite their flesh as a form of torture. Then she would bath in their blood and a form of beauty treatment.

Connection:
This connection could be a red flag of Confusion of correlation with causation. They say that Bathory bathed in others blood as a form of beauty treatment. However, who is to say the blood is what made her feel and look beautiful. It could have been other products or other foods that she ate that made her have the beauty, and not necessarily the blood.

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This website explains how Transylvania is known to have vampires. However, this is mainly thanks to Bram Stoker for writing about it in Dracula. When in fact there are no historical reasoning's to believe any vampire stories from Transylvania.

Connection:
This is connected to Appeal to Authority. Bram Stoker is a well-known author, therefore, many people will take what he says, fiction or not, and believe it to be true. People read Transylvania in his stories and then it started to spread that it was basically the vampire town.

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We hear or read the word "Transylvania" and we instantly think "vampire." We have Bram Stoker to thank for that since Transylvania (which translates as "Land Beyond the Forest") was pretty much unknown to the world before his legendary vampire novel Dracula came out.

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This website talks about the myths of vampires. It speaks about ways that they could be killed. Examples being sunlight, wooden stakes, and silver. It also speaks about vampires not having a reflection and how they were the ultimate seducers.

Connection:
The connection to this can be a red flag of Ancient Wisdom. They had a whole list of what could kill vampires, so naturally everyone was led to believe that it was true and those things would work if they ever encountered a vampire.

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Cindy is an author and paranormal enthusiast who has published numerous books and articles on the subject of true unexplained phenomena.
1. Sunlight

Anyone who has watched horror movies with vampires at their center knows that exposure to sunlight will result in a fiery death for these night stalkers. While this means of eliminating blood feeders are almost universally accepted as foolproof, there are loopholes to consider.

When they are in human form, vampires are vulnerable to ultraviolet rays, especially those which emanate directly from the sun. There is, however, a way around this for those who wish to inhabit the world of the living anytime they please without forfeiting their immortality in the process.

Utilizing their talent for shapeshifting, vampires can transform themselves into beings that are impervious to the sun. While they have the ability to assume any identity of their choosing, their preferred personas are thought to be those of bats and wolves. While in these guises, vampires can scout prey without raising the suspicions of those around them.

Back in the day, when a nocturnal animal was found roaming the countryside in the light of day, residents would scramble for ways to explain the creature's uncharacteristic behavior. Although their presence raised some eyebrows, only those whose lives were steeped in folklore viewed it as a sign that a vampire was in their midst.

2. The Power of Silver

It is well-known that silver can kill a werewolf, but what effect does it have on vampires? While not lethal, it is believed that silver bullets have the power to inflict serious injuries, including paralysis, upon these normally impervious entities.

Apparently, the natural elements found in pure silver do not sit well in a vampire's system. When introduced in any form, the metal causes a burning sensation that can last for several hours, or days, depending on the level of exposure.

Another explanation is that vampires loathe the purity that silver represents. When in its presence, they are so repulsed by the unsullied nature of the substance that they must flee or risk exposing their true face.

In Greek mythology, Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and overseer of wildlife, was said to have come upon a vampire as he attempted to pilfer her silver collection. Furious, she harnessed her powers and laid a curse upon the interloper and all his kind. From that day forward, any vampire who came in contact with silver would suffer burns as retribution for the actions of the would-be thief.

The most effective tool that can be used to ward off a suspected vampire is a silver crucifix. Its representation of the holiest of figures, combined with its elemental composition, makes the object unbearable to vampires. When placed upon the skin of a creature of the night, the burn that is left behind will remain forever, thus branding the subject as one who feasts upon the blood of the living.

3. The Calling

Although it may not be apparent to those who live in noisy cities, country dwellers know well when the night is about to fall. It is not only the vision of the sun setting on the horizon that gives them a heads-up but the cries of the nocturnal creatures who have awoken to greet the darkness. These worshippers of the moon take great pleasure in announcing that, for the time being, they are the eyes of the world.

If you've ever wondered how vampires know when it's time to rise and shine, here's one possible answer. Awakened by the cries of the crickets, owls and frogs that inhabit the twilight, vampires emerge from their dens or coffins and venture into the shadows to feed. While Mother Nature is known to provide wake-up calls for those who walk during the day, it would seem that she does the same for the nefarious ilk that stalks the hours from dusk to dawn.

4. The Demon Garlic

Garlic is thought to be as much of a nuisance to vampires as the aforementioned silver. Although not nearly as potent, the smell and taste of the savory cloves are enough to keep even the most determined fiend at bay.

In the early 1800s, garlic was heavily consumed by people who made their livings working the fields. Through trial and error, they discovered that as pleasant as the taste was to most humans, creatures hungering for a blood meal avoided it like the plague. Apparently, pesky mosquitos and biting flies would rather starve than feed off of anyone with garlic polluting their insides.

Vampires, it would seem, were among those who would steer clear of garlic at all cost. Since they were bloodsuckers as well, to smell garlic on a potential victim was an unmistakable warning to keep away. To take one bite was to risk introducing the pungent vegetable into their system, something no vampire would ever willingly do.

5. A Question of Why

The question of how a person becomes a vampire in the first place is a tricky one. While it is widely presumed that this transformation occurs when someone who is afflicted feeds on a mortal victim but spares their life, there are other ways that are fabled to lead to this nearly inescapable state of non-being.

Supposedly, if a cat jumps onto a casket that is destined for the graveyard, the corpse it holds will awaken in the form of a vampire. Along the same lines, a cat crossing the path of a funeral procession will have similar results.

Those who choose to end their lives prematurely are said to be punished by being returned to the world they attempted to escape in vampire form. Rather than finding peace, they are forced to walk the earth for eternity. The misery they experienced in life will remain with them as they journey through the millenniums in a state of perpetual sadness.

6. The Hunger

Vampires subsist on blood, that much is a given. As it happens, the source of this precious commodity is as important to their survival as sleeping during the day and avoiding the objects meant to do them harm.

One hard and fast rule is that vampires cannot feed from others of their kind. Contrary to some Hollywood depictions, the undead require certain elements that can only be found in the blood of humans. While they can technically drink from another vampire, it is akin to sipping from an empty glass; they get nothing from it.

Likewise, although they can purportedly survive on the blood of non-human animals, the experience is less than satisfying. The substituted cells will sustain their existence, but leave them lacking.

Even though humans are their ideal prey, vampires must be choosy when it comes to procuring a meal. Someone who is ailing is not a good candidate for obvious reasons. While the malady from which they suffer cannot be passed directly to the feeder, the offering is often distasteful and lacking in the nutrients they crave.

In the end, vampires, like most other species, will consume whatever is available in order to survive. With that said, they tend to be a tad more finicky than other creatures of lore.

7. Reflections

It is a well-known assertion that vampires do not cast reflections in glass or mirrors. This is not surprising since they lack souls. Mirrors, it would seem, cannot display images of non-living beings that have shunned the lightness for the dark.

Another theory as to why vampires fail to appear in mirrors is rooted in times gone by. In the old days, looking glasses were often backed with unadulterated silver, an element that was previously mentioned as being abhorred by the undead.

Silver, especially that used in the construction of anything reflective, was believed to hold the power to absorb evil. This knowledge resulted in vampires avoiding mirrors whenever possible, lest their essence be pulled inside and held in limbo for eternity.

8. Wooden Stakes

One of the most universally accepted ways to destroy a vampire is to drive a stake through its heart while it sleeps. In this case, it is not the implement that is important, but the material from which it is constructed.

Vampires are said to possess a natural fear of wood. This notion, if accurate, can be traced back to biblical times. Since the undead detest any tools of Christianity, it is believed that they recoil at the sight of wood; the God-given material used to build the cross on which Christ was crucified.

To have a stake fashioned from wood, especially that of a dogwood tree, plunged into their heart, will end a vampire's existence in short order. The trauma, coupled with the representation of the messiah, is something no blood feeder can withstand. It is also for this reason that wooden crosses are often found in churches and homes. Not only are they lethal to vampires, but they also have the power to ward off evil in all its forms.

9. The Ultimate Seducers

Ever since the days of Bela Lugosi, vampires have been depicted as sensual beings whose prowess does not end with the hunt. The reality, if we're being honest, is probably nowhere near as titillating as we have been led to believe.

Vampires, being dead and all, are unlikely to be in the market for romantic entanglements. With their existence ruled by an insatiable desire to feed, they hardly have time for liaisons with the living. Although the idea plays well in books and on the big screen, it's doubtful that, if vampires do roam among us, they are looking for brief encounters.

Putting all that aside, the practicality of such endeavors comes into question. Since vampires no longer have need of normal human functions, this makes it unlikely that they bow to the whims of their non-existent hormones. Assuming that they were born human, the qualities they once boasted are long gone, including the ability to consume any form of nourishment other than blood products. Why then would they harbor romantic feelings or the ability to act upon those emotions should the need arise?

This is, of course, merely speculation born of equal parts curiosity and physiology. Perhaps these bloodthirsty entities are indeed the peerless lovers they are reputed to be in literature and on film. In the end, it is a mystery that only adds to the allure of the enigmatic vampire.

Source
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

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9 Examples of Vampire Folklore and the Reasoning Behind Them

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Cindy is an author and paranormal enthusiast who has published numerous books and articles on the subject of true unexplained phenomena. Anyone who has watched horror movies with vampires at their center knows that exposure to sunlight will result in a fiery death for these night stalkers.

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This website talks about how vampires were known to be a dangerous set of creatures that feed on the vital life force of human beings. The first known type being revenant's. Revenant was known to be a vile, undead creature who returned to earth for unfinished business. They were said to sleep in coffins underground in cemeteries. It also talks about ways they defended against vampires and all the myths associated with it.

Connection:
This is connected to the red flag Ancient Wisdom and the belief of the unexplained. There wasn't the internet to search up facts and false information about things back in the ancient times, so when they heard something that was unexplainable they would believe what they heard. You cannot explain why someone's body was missing all their blood, but you heard about vampires so you want to give a meaning to that unexplainable thing, therefore, vampires was the solution.

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Suddenly, you hear a knock at your door. Curious, you get up to investigate - there shouldn't be anyone coming to see you at this hour. When you open the door, you are greeted by the face of a strangely pale man. He smiles when you open the door and asks, "My car broke down a few miles back, may I come in and use your phone?" You smile and nod, welcoming him in. As soon as you have closed the door, he pushes you back against the wall and gives you a sinister smile that reveals two perfectly sharpened fangs. You have just invited a vampire into your home - a grave mistake that can never be undone.

What is a Vampire?

Throughout the history of legend and storytelling tradition, there have appeared a particularly dangerous set of creatures that feed on the vital life force of human beings. In modern day, they are known as vampires. Though there are many different legends of vampires that modern day perception can be traced back to, it appears that the first vampires were actually a form of revenants.

A revenant was known to be a vile undead creature that was driven to return to the earth because of the evil deeds it had committed in its previous life, or because of unfinished business. It was thought that early vampires were a form of revenant that targeted their victims by attacking them and feasting on their blood.

The original vampire was thought to be bloated in form and to have dark features - similar to what would be expected from a corpse in the early stages of decay. It was also believed that they often slept underground in coffins during the day, only to awaken at night and wreak havoc on their city. There were, however, ways to track down these vile creatures. One of the easiest was to search the cemetery for signs of holes above grave sites. These holes were thought to indicate the resting place of a vampire.

Vampires in Other Cultures

Though the majority of what we know of vampires comes from European folklore, there are references to similar creatures all over the world. Two of the most notable versions can be found in Hebrew and Greek mythology.

Hebrew mythology gives us the story of Lilith and the estries. Lilith is a female demon that is known to prey on the blood of babies, young children, and pregnant women. She was greatly feared and was known to have tremendous blood lust.

The estries were also known to be female demons who would suck the blood of humans to sustain themselves. It seems that one of the few differences between Lilith and the estries (besides the fact that Lilith was a single entity) is that the estries were not as picky when choosing their target. They were, however, known to prey on men that were vulnerable to sexual temptation.

Greek mythology references the story of Ambrogio - a mortal man who had the grave misfortune of desiring the same woman as the sun god, Apollo. He suffered greatly for his determination to marry the love of his life - and was transformed into what many consider to be a vampire during the process.

The Transition in Vampire Folklore

As time went on, there were many different variations of the vampire tale. These would serve to shape the myth to what we know in modern day. However, it wasn't until the early 1800's that the vampire legends could be clearly separated from the revenant legends.

In 1819, a man named John Polidori published a novella entitled, 'The Vampyre.' This work would go on to redefine how we view the vampire legend today. Instead of a horrid and bloated creature, Polidori transformed the vampire into a suave and charming beast of the night. This new perspective on vampires captivated audiences and only served to make the creature more terrifying. The thought of a seemingly everyday man or woman who could seduce a person into becoming their prey quickly caught on in many colonized countries.

Although 'The Vampyre' was the first work that set the bar for the modern day vampire, it would not be remembered by history. Instead, many will look to Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' for the favored example. While 'Dracula' was quickly popularized and would go on to become the most famous vampire in history, it was not released until 1897. This indicates that many of Stoker's ideas came from 'The Vampyre.'

The Modern Day Vampire

The vampire of modern folklore is much more charming and charismatic than the tales of the bloated creatures in early mythology. Most vampires are defined as slender and beautiful people who are abnormally pale in complexion. They are known to have an almost allergic reaction to sunlight which often proves to be fatal. Similar weaknesses can be found with items made of silver and garlic.

It is known that vampires prefer to hunt at night because of their sensitivity to the sun. Although vampires can inhabit traditional spaces, it is still common practice for them to sleep inside coffins - perhaps because of the added protection against sunlight. Vampires are also known to have super-human strength and speed. They are also immortal, making them one of the most feared predators known to man.

What Causes a Person to Turn Into a Vampire?

Because of the fearsome nature of Vampires, careful guards were put into place to avoid the dreaded 'turn' of the dead. There were several things that were thought to cause a person to turn into a vampire - though the most common warning was usually the death of an evil person.

Evil People and Vampirism

It seems that the early cultures feared that people who died after leading evil lives and people who had refused to accept religion would come back as an evil entity. Many of these terrible human beings were thought to return as a vampire. Many cultures document cases of people who supposedly turned into a vampire after rebelling against the church. This was especially thought to be the case in Russia, where rebelling against the Russian Orthodox Church was thought to be a sure sign that a person would become an undead monster.

Other indications that a person could be a vampire in the afterlife was if that person was suspected of witchcraft. It was thought that those who practiced occult magic were directly tied to evil nature, making them some of the most feared individuals of their time.

The Danger of an Unguarded Corpse

It was also feared that corpses that had been left unguarded were vulnerable. This was based on two commonly held beliefs.

The first belief was that after the spirit of a person had left the body, a new host had the opportunity to use the body to interact with the living world. It was greatly feared that bodies which were not properly guarded before burial - or bodies that hadn't been given proper funeral rites - would become possessed by an evil spirit. It was thought that these evil spirits would then come back as a vampire and attack the living.

The second belief was that a wild animal could somehow curse a body that was not guarded by jumping over it. When an animal (especially a dog or a cat) jumped over the body of a recently passed corpse, it was thought that the corpse would immediately turn into a vampire the following night.

Unclean Corpses

There also seems to be some sort of connection between uncleanliness and vampirism. During the Black Plague, many uneducated people believed that the plague was spread by vampires that came back at night and infected the remaining healthy population. This was likely because victims of the plague were often left with blood stains around their mouths - something that could easily be misinterpreted by the uninformed.

It was also believed that a body that had a wound that hadn't been treated by boiling water was vulnerable to becoming a vampire. This knowledge was sometimes used as preventative knowledge, as it was common for boiling water to be poured over a grave as part of the funeral rites.

How to Defend Against Vampires

It goes without saying that a creature as fearsome as a vampire inspired many developments in early cultures - especially those that would serve as protection. There were several categories of protective knowledge and items that were used to guard against the much feared vampire.

Apotropaic Items

Apotropaic items were known to have special properties that made them effective in guarding against evil entities like vampires (and other revenants). There were several types of items that were used, but most apotropaic were known to have religious context. It was thought that since a vampire was a creature of pure evil, it would not be able to stand the presence of any type of holiness. Common religious apotropaic were the crucifix, rosaries, the image of Christ, and holy water. It was also thought that garlic, a branch of wild rose, hawthorn, and mustard seeds could be used to ward of the creature.

Helpful Knowledge

It makes sense that the more you know about the capabilities of a creature, the better you will be able to protect yourself against said creature. This was the position that was taken by many people who feared a vampire may lurk in their community.

It was known that vampires could not stand in the presence of that which was holy. This caused many to turn to consecrated ground (churches, temples, cemeteries) for refuge. It was also known that vampires were only active at night, which led many to implement curfews for the protection of their citizens.

It was also claimed that vampires could not cross running water. This was likely used by citizens who were fearful that they may be followed by an evil entity. Additionally, it was known that vampires could not enter a house unless they were invited inside. Once they had been invited, however, they could come and go as they pleased.

Preventative Measures

It was commonly thought that vampires did not have reflections or shadows. This was often used to determine the vampire status of an individual. Many who feared a vampire attack would place mirrors that faced outwards at their doors. If a stranger knocked and asked to be invited in, the house owner would check for their reflection and shadow before letting them in.

It was also believed that vampires had a strange fixation with numbers. Because of this, people would often leave bags of seeds, kernels, or grains of rice near their doorways. It was thought that once a vampire saw these things, he or she would be forced to count them until they knew the exact number. This was thought to be a great form of protection for citizens - leaving a bag of seeds for the vampire to count would ensure that they would be trapped there until the sun rose. Because the vampire could not stand the sun, it would then be killed.

Staking

One of the most common practices associated with fighting vampires - staking them with sharpened wood - was also used as a protective measure. Whenever a vampire was suspected in the community, graves would be searched, and guilty people would be questioned. Suspected vampires (dead or alive) would then be staked with the wood that was thought to be most effective.

Russia and the Baltic states were known to prefer to use Ash, while Serbia used Hawthorne. It is also recorded that Silesia thought Oak was the most effective wood. As Christianity began to rise in Europe, it became common to use Aspen wood. It was thought that Aspen was especially holy because this was the tree that was used to make the cross that Jesus was crucified on.

It was also common practice for suspected vampires to be staked through the heart. However, variants can be found in Russia and Serbia. Russia staked victims through the mouth, while Serbia staked victims through the stomach.

Burial Practices

Because of the fear of vampires coming back from the dead, many adopted burial practices that were thought to keep corpses in their graves. One of the popular methods was to decapitate the body of the recently parted. Many cultures believed that the soul sometimes lingered in the body after death, but that decapitating the head could force the soul to move on and keep it from causing problems.

It was also common for corpses to be put into positions that would make escape from the grave more difficult. Many corpses were buried upside down, while others were pinned to the ground by driving stakes through their heads, bodies, or clothes. Some cultures even went as far as to sever the tendons at the knees of the corpse so that it could not walk in death.

Ambrogio - The Legend of the First Vampire

Though certainly not as popular as Dracula, Greek mythology tells of Ambrogio - possibly the first vampire to reflect modern day myths.

The story goes that Ambrogio was visiting the Temple of Apollo (the sun god) when he met the Oracle of the temple - Selena. As soon as he saw her, he fell in love and became determined to spend the rest of his life with her. He plans to ask her for her hand in marriage. What Ambrogio didn't know, however, was that Apollo also desired Selena for his own.

Apollo thinks about how he can prevent Ambrogio from marrying Selena (who has now proposed and is planning his wedding). In his jealousy, he curses Ambrogio to be burned by the sunlight whenever the rays touched his skin.

Ambrogio is angered and devastated - this new condition will keep him from being united with his love. He seeks the help of Hades (god of the underworld) and Artemis (goddess of the hunt). Hades offers help to Ambrogio - but requires him to steal Artemis' silver bow to carry out a mission in return. Artemis is angered by the theft and curses Ambrogio to be burned by silver whenever he is touched by it as revenge.

As time goes on, Artemis takes pity on Ambrogio and offers him assistance. She gives him superhuman strength, immortality, and fangs that he can use to kill beasts. The legend also suggests that this blood would be used to write love poems to Selena. Eventually, Selena escapes Apollo and is reunited with Ambrogio. Now, however, she is cursed by the fact that she is mortal and Ambrogio is not.

Artemis comes to the couple's rescue again by telling Ambrogio to drink Selena's blood. Though her body would technically be killed, her spirit would become immortal and she would be able to live the rest of her life with Ambrogio. It is said that the combined blood of Selena and Ambrogio can be used to turn any human into a vampire.

Vampires Throughout History

There are also many tales of powerful vampires who caused terror in the hearts of the living that can be traced back to real people. These real life monsters are likely part of why the myth of the vampire is so popular in modern day.

Vlad the Impaler

Vlad was a powerful man who lived in Walachia, but in modern day he is known for his fierce brutality. He was known to enjoy impaling his enemies on stakes and letting them die slowly. There are also rumors that he enjoyed eating bread that had been dipped in the blood of his victims. Some versions of this rumor claim that he ate bread dipped in blood of enemies that were still in the process of dying and ate it while watching them take their last breaths.

Countess Elizabeth Bathory

While many would assume that a Countess would be mild mannered and well-cultured, Countess Elizabeth Bathory proved to be the exception. She was born in Hungary in the year 1560 and died in 1614. During her living years, she was known to have the blood of many victims on her hands - literally. She was known to have her enemies brought to her so that she could bite their flesh, perhaps as a form of torture. Later, she would bathe in their blood - supposedly as a beauty treatment.

Origins of the Myth

Like many other mythical creatures, it is hypothesized that people with undiagnosable medical conditions were likely the inspiration of the vampire myth. There is also the possibility that the myth of the vampire was inspired by cruel people - especially leaders that could not easily be defended against.

Cruel Leaders

In addition to being despised for their absolute power, leaders of early cultures were known to be especially cruel and vengeful with their subjects. It is possible that stories of cruel leaders were used to shape the legends for the infamous vampire. One of the most popular suggestions for the inspiration of the vampire myth is Vlad the Impaler.

Porphyria

Another possible source for inspiration is the condition known as 'porphyria.' This condition is known to cause sensitivity to light and is often characterized by those with reddish brown teeth. This would have been considered suspicious behavior in early cultures since most business had to be conducted during the day. Additionally, the reddish-brown stains on the teeth of the afflicted could have been easily mistaken for the blood of a human victim instead of a medical condition.

Other Medical Conditions

There are also other medical conditions that could have easily been confused for vampirism. One of these is Hemeralopia - a term for patients that suffer from day blindness. This condition would cause an individual to only be able to move about at night - a time of day that was associated with evil in early cultures.

Another condition is Haematodipsia - a term for those who suffer from a sexual thirst for blood. These patients connect the thirst for blood with sexual activities - something that would have caused much suspicion and fear in earlier times.

Natural Decomposition

There is also the possibility that the myth of the vampire was caused by the lack of knowledge concerning bodily decomposition. It was commonly thought that vampires slept in coffins during the day. This is likely because when bodies were dug up to check for signs of vampirism, it was common to see the corpse move or sit up whenever the coffin lid was opened. This would have likely been interpreted as reanimation by early cultures. In modern day, however, we know this happens because of a natural decaying process.

Vampires in Modern Day

Though we no longer have to be fearful of attacks from vampires in modern day, there are still groups of people who believe that they are vampires. Many of these strange communities can be found online and exist in the shadows of society. They are known to drink small amounts of blood (supposedly to stay healthy) from willing donors in private feeding rituals. Though these people appear to think that the drinking of human blood is done for reasons purely related to health, they often keep their practices private to deter the potential for vampire related panic.

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Vampire - Description, History, Myths & Interpretations | Mythology.net

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Vampires are undead creatures who suck the blood from their sleeping victims. They represent a global infestation, appearing in almost every culture since the dawn of time, so while you would be wise to try to hide from these bloodthirsty villains, you would be hard-pressed to find a safe haven.

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This video talks about 19 century and Bram Stoker's Dracula. Bram Stoker was an Irish writer who wrote the book Dracula making comparison's to Vlad the Impailer. Stoker incorporates more evil ideas of vampires and genuine ideas that the vampire starts off as mortal.
Vampires go all the way back to Greece. With the meaning being Strigoi. Ancient sources state that they feed on blood and human flesh.

Connection:
The connection to this video is related to the red flag Ancient Wisdom. Back in the 19 century and even earlier they believed in vampires and have different beliefs about different types of vampires. Since a lot of people believe whatever they read about from the ancient times, they automatically assume that it must be true. This has led people to believe that all the information about the vampires from that time must be true.

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This video is about a male who believes he is a real vampire. He explains that when he was younger he bit his uncle and that's the first time he tasted the blood and felt alive. He says he physically gets ill when he doesn't drink blood. He has sanitary ways to get blood from willing humans.

Connection:
This could be connected to the red flag confirmation bias. The man in the video states that he feels ill when he stops drinking blood. However, he could also feel ill when he stops eating or drinking other things as well. He only remembers feeling ill when he stops drinking blood because it goes with his belief that he is a vampire.

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The UnxPlained: REAL VAMPIRES IN NEW ORLEANS (Season 1) | History

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Description:
In this video they are talking about different types of real life vampires you may see in life today.
Lifestyle vampires: Dress in dark, gothic clothing.
Psychic vampires: feeding off of others energy.
Sanguinarian Vampires: Actually feed off of others blood. They use sanitary scalpel's and cut into each other.
They also have a quiz that will determine that you could be a vampire.
Connection:
This is connected to the belief of ideology. People who believe they are vampires have their own community and culture. They honestly believe that they are vampires and follow along to all the rules in their community.

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Someone you know could actually be a vampire. GMM #753! We're nominated for The Streamy's 'Show of the Year' & you can help us win by voting! http://www.streamys.org/vote/ Check out the rest of the real-life vampire questions here: www.vampirewebsite.net Good Mythical MORE: https://youtu.be/B0yua9_e4EI SUBSCRIBE for daily episodes: http://bit.ly/subrl2 **** PREVIOUS episode: https://youtu.be/VTPz9z7M6B8?list=PLJ49NV73ttrs52WlwbXLctNtOMxlbZ3VO NEXT episode: https://youtu.be/ElNm5RXlND4?list=PLJ49NV73ttrs52WlwbXLctNtOMxlbZ3VO Get the GMM Coffee Mug!

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By Brittany Stocker