Vampire lifestyle
The vampire lifestyle, vampire subculture, or vampire community (sometimes spelt as "vampyre") is an alternative lifestyle and subculture based around the mythology of and popular culture based on vampires. Those within the subculture commonly identify with or as vampires, with participants typically taking heavy inspiration from media and pop culture based on vampiric folklore and legend, such as the gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows", the tabletop role-playing game "", and the book series "The Vampire Chronicles" by author Anne Rice. Practices within the vampire community range from blood-drinking from willing donors to organising groups known as 'houses ' and 'courts' of self-identified vampires. The vampire subculture largely stemmed from the goth subculture, but also incorporates some elements of the sadomasochism subculture. The Internet provides a prevalent forum of communication for the subculture, along with other media such as glossy magazines devoted to the topic. Participants within the subculture range from those who dress as vampires but understand themselves to be human, to those who assert a need to consume either blood or 'human energy'. Both types of vampires may assert that the consumption of blood or energy (sometimes referred to as auric or pranic energy) is necessary  for spiritual or physical nourishment. Though the vampire subculture has considerable overlap with gothic subculture, the vampire community also has overlap with both therian and otherkin communities, and are considered by some to be a part of both, despite the difference in cultural and historical development. Types of vampire lifestylers. There are several types of vampire lifestylers: Explanations for blood-drinking. Renfield syndrome is a clinical condition marked by a fixation on blood or blood-drinking. Sex researchers have also documented cases of people with sexual (paraphilic) vampirism and autovampirism. However, not all participants in modern vampire subcultures display a  link between the vampire lifestyle and their sexual behaviour. Controversy. Christianity. Some self-proclaimed Christian vampire slayers have arisen in response to the vampire subculture. Online, they swarm vampire websites with hate mail and participate in other similar activities. Crime. Tracey Wigginton gained the nickname "The Lesbian Vampire Killer" in 1989, after committing the murder of a man, purportedly to drink his blood. Other crimes have been committed by people believing themselves to be vampires, such as Rod Ferrell, a murderer, and Jonathon Sharkey, who has repeatedly threatened public officials and harassed underage girls.