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Published by The Vampire Network on the 3rd of March 2017Bridging the Gap Part I:
Metaphysical Benefits of Blood Consumption in Vampires
In this two-part series, we will outline the measurable physiological and metaphysical beneficial effects of blood drinking.
PART 1: Science of the metaphysical
Most Blood Vampires agree that there is a significant benefit to drinking blood. However, some insist that this manifests only as a physical benefit, others believe that the benefits are mental and spiritual in nature, and yet others experience physical, mental and spiritual benefits. Thus, blood drinkers are divided along the lines of defining their need for blood as physical or metaphysical.
On one side of the divide, some scientifically inclined Blood Vampires only acknowledge physical changes in the body in response to consumption of blood (and conversely, starvation), that can be measured and quantified. To a large degree, they may find vampires who believe that blood is beneficial only as a form of energy incredible and may even perceive that belief as direct opposition to progress, and bettering the lives of Blood Vampires.
On the other hand, Blood Vampires with a metaphysical inclination, who explain their need for blood in terms of energy, mental and (in some cases) spiritual well-being, may dismiss scientific inquiries and research into physiological effects as unnecessary at best, and insulting or divisive at worst.
We believe that these division lines are artificial; a micro-reflection of a larger partitioning between the metaphysical and the scientific after a forceful and deliberate severing between the two decades before the vampire community existed in its current form.
In the world at large, the metaphysical mind gave way in the 19th century to the “Age of Reason and Enlightenment” which celebrated science and empirical evidence to the exclusion of all else. As the 21st century advances, science is beginning to return to and incorporate some of the key metaphysical principles of the past centuries, finally understanding (on the level of molecules and sub-atomic particles) what it was the alchemists and the magicians understood and could work with, intuitively, centuries earlier.
And so it is and should be with Blood Vampires in the 21st century, and can be, by recognizing ongoing scientific research supports the idea that both the physical and the metaphysical lens through which to view the necessity of blood drinking and its effects are valid.
Science of the metaphysical: How ingesting blood can improve the mind and the spirit
There is intriguing evidence that blood drinkers have low circulating levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. None of these neurotransmitters can cross the blood-brain barrier; therefore, if ingested in blood fully synthesized, they cannot act on the brain directly. However, their precursors, amino acids L-DOPA, tyrosine and tryptophan, which are also in the blood can and do cross the blood-brain barrier. We do not know whether a deficiency in the precursors or the enzymes which make the neurotransmitters are the reason for low levels of these neurotransmitters in blood drinkers; however, the gastrointestinal malabsorption difficulties common among most Blood Drinkers could easily explain a deficiency in these precursors, all of which are derived from conventional solid food.
Decreased levels of serotonin are conclusively connected with depression and anxiety, as well as with chronic fatigue, loss of concentration and insomnia. Low norepinephrine is also associated with depression and loss of the instinct to survive (fight-or-flight response). Many antidepressants increase norepinephrine by suppressing norepinephrine reuptake at nerve terminals. It’s relatively easy to see how elevation in these neurotransmitters, after ingestion of blood, can lead to a perceptible and measurable change in mental (and spiritual) state.
Dopamine is the principal neurotransmitter associated with motivation, and the ability to focus. It is also responsible for the feelings of being excited and energized (too high levels result in hypersensitivity, agitation and paranoia). Low dopamine levels are associated with: torpor, “brain fog” (decreased cognitive function, speed of processing) and depression, which are universally accepted symptoms of starvation. Although we are not aware of dopamine levels being measured in Blood Vampires immediately post consumption of blood, it is not illogical to assume that they would rise, from the low baseline to levels approaching normal. This would then bring on a feeling of being excited and energized, which can easily be interpreted as “getting energy from blood”. Dopamine also regulates the “reward” system, including that which operates in addiction. Dopamine levels rise in expectation of a “fix”, in this case blood. This is also consistent with the “metaphysical” feeling of excitement surrounding blood drinking.
In addition, relieving the brain of mild to moderate hypoxia, which it experiences during starvation, may result in perceived feelings of vitality, energy and overall well-being.
It has long been known that a person’s mental and spiritual well-being depends on their physical well-being and vice versa that a person’s physical well-being depends on their mental and spiritual well-being. Modern medicine acknowledges this.
TVN acknowledges both physiological and metaphysical benefits of blood drinking. We recognize that vampires who view effects of blood drinking through both the physical and the metaphysical lens exist, and that neither lens is inferior to the other. We do not believe that they exist in opposition or that one negates the existence of the other. We believe that ongoing scientific (here we include metaphysical) research will continue to support the hypothesis that both types are very much related. Most importantly, we believe that all Blood Vampires seeking assistance should be treated with the same respect and understanding. They will not be ostracized or attacked for differing experiences. Furthermore, we believe that there are various areas of common ground between the two which can be expanded through education, research, effective communication and open-mindedness.
References:
http://www.drjoecarver.com/clients/49355/File/Chemical%20Imbalance.html
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The Vampire Network (2017)
