I did not like this book. It was an interesting topic, however I find the writing to be quite negative. Energy vampires exist and I did not find that it offered much in terms of how people can deal with energy vampires.

This is a great resource for anyone that is ready to make a change in their life when it comes to who they spend their time with. Many times we know that we need to make the change, but sometimes it is incredibly difficult to know where and how to start. If that is where you are then this is a book that you need.

I've studied this concept before and I felt like this book did a good job of explaining what type of person this is. Great material for someone struggling. Recommend!

"Surrounded by Energy Vampires" by Thomas Erikson is a compelling and insightful exploration into the dynamics of interpersonal relationships, particularly focusing on how to identify, understand, and protect oneself from individuals who drain your energy. Erikson, renowned for his expertise in communication and behavioral patterns, brings his knowledge to the fore in this enlightening guide, offering readers practical strategies for navigating their social environments more effectively.

Erikson's ability to break down complex psychological concepts into accessible, engaging language is a significant strength of the book. He uses a blend of humor, real-life anecdotes, and scientific research to illustrate how energy vampires operate and why they affect us the way they do. This approach not only makes the book highly readable but also ensures that readers come away with a solid understanding of the subject matter.

One of the most valuable aspects of "Surrounded by Energy Vampires" is its emphasis on self-awareness and personal empowerment. Erikson doesn't just describe the characteristics of energy vampires; he also delves into why certain individuals are more susceptible to them and how they can develop resilience. The book is replete with exercises and self-reflection prompts that encourage readers to look inward and strengthen their emotional boundaries.

Erikson's practical advice on dealing with energy vampires is another highlight. Rather than advocating for cutting people out of one's life hastily, he provides nuanced strategies for managing these relationships in a way that preserves one's mental and emotional well-being. His recommendations are realistic, thoughtful, and tailored to different scenarios, whether in personal relationships, the workplace, or social settings.

Furthermore, "Surrounded by Energy Vampires" stands out for its compassionate approach. Erikson acknowledges the complexity of human relationships and the fact that everyone can exhibit energy-draining behaviors at times. This perspective fosters understanding and empathy, encouraging readers to navigate their social worlds with more grace and kindness.

The book also offers insights into the positive aspects of being sensitive to others' energies. Erikson reframes this sensitivity as a strength, highlighting how it can lead to deeper connections, increased empathy, and a more profound understanding of others. This balanced view helps readers appreciate their own qualities and how they can protect their energy without becoming cynical or isolated.

In sum, "Surrounded by Energy Vampires" by Thomas Erikson is a must-read for anyone looking to safeguard their emotional health and navigate their relationships more wisely. It combines expert knowledge with practical advice, all delivered with Erikson's trademark wit and warmth. Readers will finish this book feeling enlightened, empowered, and equipped to deal with the energy vampires in their lives while fostering healthy, fulfilling relationships.

I was expecting more ways to learn how to protect myself from energy suckers, but this was not the case for me. If you are familiar with the DISC personalities it is possible you will get a lot of very good information. Not knowing my color I was not able to identify well with any of the help/solutions, and the information that is provided on the colors is at the back of the book after you have read everything else. This placement does not make sense to me. I did recognize several of the energy vampire types that are explained in the book. There is excellent information on self awareness and how at times we end up being the energy vampires to ourselves and others. That being said, this includes good habit building as a way to not waste time and I say skip this section of the book and read Atomic Habits by James Clear instead.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Surrounded by Energy Vampires: How to Slay the Time, Joy, and Soul Suckers in Your Life" by Thomas Erikson is a practical and insightful guide to identifying and dealing with the energy-draining individuals and situations that can leave us feeling depleted and exhausted. Erikson's approach, using the simple four-color behavior system, adds a touch of humor and relatability to the subject matter, earning this book a solid four-star rating.

The author begins by addressing a common issue many can relate to – encountering people or situations that seem to drain our time, energy, and joy. Erikson aptly coins them as real-life vampires, emphasizing their ability to take without reciprocating, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and fatigued. This relatable introduction sets the stage for an exploration of different types of energy vampires and practical tools to combat them.

One of the strengths of the book is its use of the four-color behavior system, which the author previously employed in "Surrounded by Idiots." This system simplifies complex behavioral patterns into easily understandable categories, making it accessible to a broad audience. Erikson's approach includes self-assessments, relatable stories, and practical tools, providing readers with actionable steps to identify and address energy vampires in various aspects of life.

The book's organization is clear and straightforward, allowing readers to navigate through different types of energy vampires and strategies to deal with them. The author's writing style is engaging, making the content accessible even for those unfamiliar with psychological concepts.

Erikson's inclusion of relatable stories adds depth and authenticity to the book. Readers can find examples that resonate with their own experiences, enhancing the practicality of the advice provided. The emphasis on combating energy vampires in various life domains, including the workplace, friendships, and home, ensures the relevance of the book for a wide range of readers.

While the book provides valuable insights and tools, some readers might find the content repetitive or wish for more in-depth exploration of certain topics. Additionally, the effectiveness of the four-color behavior system may vary for individuals, as behavioral patterns can be nuanced and complex.

In conclusion, "Surrounded by Energy Vampires" is a valuable resource for anyone seeking practical strategies to navigate energy-draining interactions in their lives. Thomas Erikson's use of the four-color behavior system, combined with relatable stories and actionable tools, makes this book an engaging and helpful guide. It earns a solid four-star rating for its accessibility, practicality, and the author's ability to address a common challenge with humor and insight.

Ever around people that just really exhaust you, well after reading this you will have more words and more ways to describe how much they exhaust you and you will be able to easily say that others that never did before now exhaust you.

Lots of opinion, but not a lot to offer in ways of how to "slay the time, joy, and soul suckers in your life." Quite a letdown based on how it was marketed and some of his other works.
I am sure there are a lot that will get something from this especially if they understand the DISC personality concept.


Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Essentials for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel. Check it out! It is worth picking up and keeping on your shelf after reading for reference! #NetGalley #Edelweiss

Surrounded by Energy Vampires by Thomas Erikson

Published: October 3, 2023
St. Martin’s Essentials
Genre: Motivational Growth
Pages: 354
KKECReads Rating: 3/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Thomas Erikson is a motivator, author and public speaker. His book Surrounded by Idiots is one of the world’s best-selling non-fiction books and has been translated into over 40 languages. His way of sharing his knowledge with his readers is by using specific storytelling and lots of humor. To achieve new skills should be easy. Therefore, he do not write in a way that is packed with numbers and details, but rather in a way that will make the reader say: Ah! I recognize that! Thomas has devoted close to 30 years of his career to helping people communicate with each other, and along the way he´s developed practical and functional tools that facilitate both professional and private life.

This was an interesting guide. Some theories would be fascinating if they were explored more scientifically.

I think Thomas has a lot of great ideas, feelings, and opinions, though not everything would necessarily apply to the US.

I do think learning how to identify energy vampires and how to assess their place in your life is an important skill we all should master. I liked the layout of this book, the charts, and the general way the chapters were presented. There is a massive opportunity for a reader to annotate their book to return to passages later.

While I found a lot of sense throughout this book, I also had some questions, which isn’t a bad thing. But I also think we have to be careful labeling people. While energy vampires are draining and challenging to be around, sometimes we must lead with love. With compassion. With understanding.

This was the only book in this series I’ve read, so I don’t know what the sources were like for the other texts. I was a bit surprised to see there were only four cited in the reference section. Many bold statements were made, and without thorough research and legitimate documentation, the majority of this book opinion. Proceed with caution.

Do you hate all the people in your life - from partner, friends to boss and employees? If not, you will by the time you finish this book.
The author has a primary color coding system - red, blue, yellow, green. Each one corresponds to a diagnosable mental health disorder, but he insists, these people are sub-diagnosable. He then goes on to describe the most deplorable, irritating and negative traits of each type. The problem is that everyone you’ve ever encountered and even yourself will exhibit some of these traits.
It just felt really icky the whole time and especially depressing.

I expected some cogent, psychology-based information from this book, some helpful tips for dealing with toxic personalities, but that's not what I got. At least, not as far as I could manage to read.

The writing itself feels toxic. Right at the start, the author bashes every coworker he had, in black-and-white terms, as if all these people were simply horrible in a few basic ways, all the time. The author apparently suffered severely at the hands of all these vampiric people he was forced to put up with each day. As I continued reading, the tone got no better. The author painted broad descriptions of "energy vampires" that could apply to nearly everyone.

Ultimately, this felt like one man's con game, a slam to humanity, while he stood snickering at his genius. Not the least bit helpful.

Definitely not a book for me.

DNF

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love the title. The book is a mix of good and meh and it's hard to self help other people.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eGalley to review!

This is the second Thomas Erikson book I've read and it is definitely consistent with my first (Surrounded by Narcissists). Erikson has a very informal, practically unfiltered approach to describing the types of people the book is themed around. That is to say, he has personal stories and personal takes on top of his professional ones and he is not afraid to express his disdain for these types of people--in this case, "energy vampires". "Energy vampires" are just people who like to suck all your good mood, energy, and motivation right out of you just by simply being themselves. There are several types of these "vampires" and Erikson explains each type in turn and gives case studies to help the reader better understand what each type looks like out there in the wild.

This book also incorporates his favorite system for personality types of colors (think Type A, Type B, etc. but with Red, Blue, etc). It's how he explains how readers of certain personality types can deal with certain types of "energy vampires". He also makes a point to separate the vampire personality types from diagnoses like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and psychopathy as, while they share a surface level similarity, they are not the same. Narcissism seems to be an exception here as being an "energy vampire" is just part of the way narcissists function with how they interact with and use people for their own ego. This separation is a fine line to tread and for the most part, I do think Erikson handled it well. Some people are just jerks. Some people just don't recognize that they are "energy vampires". This book just tells you, the reader, how to recognize the signs and how to respond appropriately.

I think the most important part of the book is the recognition that YOU can be your own energy vampire. Erikson advises how you can take steps to be more self-aware and stop getting in your own way, even if it's an embarrassing process. I appreciate that.

So if you feel like you might be in the midst of an "energy vampire", I'd give this book a look. You may learn something new about yourself, if anything.

Do you feel drained everyday when you come home? Well, if you do, then you should read this book. This is a practical guide to helping you take your energy back and make your life better!

I was super interested in this book when I requested it, though I did gain a lot of takeaways I felt there was more to be given.

My biggest frustration is that the reader cannot take the DISC survey to find out what color they are without paying, at least from what I’ve found. I think this book would have been way more beneficial if I would have known my behavior color, though it did add some tools to my toolbox. I definitely identified some of my energy vampires and why those people drive me crazy. I will definitely take some of the tips on how to deal with them away.

Thank you to St Martins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Surrounded by Energy Vampires by Thomas Erikson is an excellent resource for those trying to understand the energetic demands of social situations that leave of feeling drained without full explanation. This term utilized oft is explored in depth here alongside stories of personal experience that illustrate individual points particularly well.

This book helps you understand the people and situations in our lives that drain our energy. I found the color code system very interesting along with so much of the book. Personalities, habits, social media and more sucks our energy and we might not even realize the extent of it until feeling totally drained. This book just might help you filter out some of your suckers.

Great read for those who have negative people in their live and are affected by them. Holds some tips for managing these people, and what different types of "Vampires" they are. Thank you to St Martins Essentials.

This book is another in a long line of literature attempting to typecast/differentiate human behavioral traits. It held my interest overall, but I did not feel there was much new or enlightening. There is some helpful information on how to “get along” with types that differ from your own. Bottom line is you suck it up and make a relationship work in spite of differences and difficulties. because there is enough intrinsic value there, or you move on because there is not.

This would be a good addition to an HR department library or to recommend to someone just going into the labor force.