I am an empath and luckily, there are many great things about being one. I also have the ability to see things, mostly in my dreams, and pick up on certain messages throughout the day in the form of clairvoyance.

I basically ended up feeling perpetually used by people. They sought out my advice or help and once they got it, they were gone.

There was no reciprocity, they just moved on like I'd done nothing for them. It hurt the most when I was the one who occasionally needed help, and they were nowhere to be found. That left me feeling incredibly drained and tired all the time.

In work situations, I usually got guilted into doing work for other people and once again, they'd take the credit, and I'd get left drained, as well as, unrecognized and taken for granted. This is especially true with romantic partners.

Every time I got involved with a man, I'd do everything I could to help him fix his weak spots or bring him up. Many guys transformed into better people thanks to me and then, once they found someone who suddenly liked them because they were better, they ditched me.

It's a horrible feeling which I also contribute to having Pisces energy and that of self-sacrifice. The basis of this crux is simple: I helped a guy out or a friend, and they moved to a higher level once assisted and thought little of what I had done for them.

They did not realize that their turn for the better was, in part, from being close to me and my energy. Once they left, their luck went back down to mediocre, and I hardly felt sorry for them at that point.

These gifts are blessings and many people take them for granted or take advantage.

Then, they get steamed when that luck is gone. It's important for sensitive types to guard their energy as most will see it as a means to exploit and few will return the favor.

Perhaps, I helped someone with a problem in their wardrobe, popularity, or style. Perhaps, I filled them with a positive energy that made other women or people notice them who normally would not have.

This has happened almost universally with me and guys. Once I began dating a guy or liking a guy, women always seemed to find him more appealing because he was with me. That was fine, however, some of these men liked the new attention so much that they forgot about being loyal and appreciative or from where they got that newfound energy or zest.

I could sense that they were deliberating moving on which was frustrating because it happened all of the time, so often, that I got used to it. Therefore, I'd try and retain my energy as much as possible by refusing to get intimately involved or ceasing to give them help or assistance, especially if I had already done that.

All relationships should have a healthy give and take. Empaths usually end up giving way more because of their natures.

This is likely a form of vampirism or stealing another's energy and it hurts. I had to learn how to guard my own energy and only offer it to others, men especially, who weren't seeking to deplete me or to better themselves. I had to be careful with who I assisted so I wouldn't be left drained.

For starters, I had to drop my relatives, even though, it was hard and painful. The reason was that most of them, on some level, sucked my energy through guilt, intimidation or neglect. It was very difficult, but I withdrew. Even for those who weren't quite as toxic as the rest, I had to pull away if they were involved with outside influences that did drain me.

Maybe they didn't understand how hard that was for me; maybe, they didn't care. But the point is that I had to learn to put myself first because if I'm constantly going around giving and being depleted, I will be of no use to myself.

No relationship was greater a lesson in this than when I was abused for a year and a half. That man drained every ounce of energy I had and then some. He took and took and took, regardless of how I felt. He took things that mattered to me; he hurt me and things that I loved. He did so on purpose.

It was worse than just zapping my energy because he aimed to perpetually damage me. He aimed to torture. Perhaps, that gave him a sense of power by draining all that was good about me.

I was constantly stressed, scared, overwhelmed and on edge. I dwindled down in pounds, stopped exercising and looked like a bean pole. I had bags under my eyes and looked as psychically beat up as one could have ever imagined.

Even after I left, I still was not whole because he employed tactics to try and drain my energy from farther away.

Although it was not as bad as it had been when near him, it was bad in the form of cyberstalking, harassment, and subterfuge.

He devised ways to have other people do his dirty work. I'm not sure how, but I imagine it involved a gross misrepresentation, without my knowledge, somewhere in the dark, cyber world. And perhaps, he knew that if he set me up, that strangers, would seek me out and cause continual damage that tied back to his primary actions. Those being: the need to inflict pain and cause distress.

I'll give one example: a few days ago, I got a message from a person who claims to be a masseuse in another state. They sent me a message on Facebook. Now, there is nothing about my social life that suggests any interest in something like that. In reality, it triggers stress and trauma, distracts me from my goals and causes hardship.

I blocked this person. Then, the next day, someone else on Facebook sent me another message. I assume it was a male and he said that he had read my article on a particular topic, and then proceeded to ask me for my date of birth.

I was floored. The only other person I've ever met who so blatantly tried to steal my identity was the monster guy.

When I saw that, I thought it was related. Although I hate having to admit to having been conned once, it seems that over the years, I've been approached by so many others with similar agendas like they expect me to fall for a con again, because I fell victim once. It's like a perpetual burn, with others who will think you're an easy mark if you fall just once. It's really unfair and unending.

Once victimized always victimized? Well, no. I know better than to give my date of birth to a perfect stranger online. However, these weird and unsettling messages occur almost daily.

I have to patrol my social media accounts regularly to check who is following me or commenting on posts. At least once a week, there is some sketchy profile following me around or responding to my posts and every time, I report them and block them. But, they keep coming. They almost always center around something gross, inappropriate, uninvited, and undesired.

This is a psychic attack. Because the people who create phony accounts with disturbing messages do so in an effort to upset, annoy, harass, unsettle, and stress out people that they view as targets.

That is stalking, and it is a crime, as well, if it originates with the same person. You can attempt to get a restraining order against someone who is deliberately trying to bother you, even online. And if you aren't sure, the police can search computers and hard drives to prove that information is coming from a particular person or group as evidence through IP addresses.

If they have previously abused or committed a crime against you, which is my case, the law may consider that witness intimidation or tampering, and that is punishable by law. These days it is common for this to occur online in an effort to prevent testimony or incriminating evidence from being exposed.

It's definitely no fun, and no one is immune. The best course of action is to report it every time, and keep records of what is happening. You might be able to establish a pattern of behavior that can be traced back to a person or group.

Remember that knowledge is power. Don't react with emotion; react with the facts. Knowing your rights is critical too.

Cyberstalking, harassment, and bullying can be prosecuted. Although these people think that they are being cute and cannot be prosecuted, think again.

If the offensive behavior is unprovoked and a target has done all that they can to stay away from the offender, you may have a case. It demonstrates a pervasive, almost perverse obsession in those who seek out others and conduct themselves in a disrespectful, malicious way.

I've been dealing with this for nine years. Its just one extra thing to encounter, but the common thread is that these instances are meant to take my energy away.

After I met this monster creep, I lost everything and I had nowhere to live. I had a few options, but they all fell through. The last straw was when I moved in with a friend, and she constantly discounted my feelings and refused to support me. She went out drinking and faulted me for speaking to her boyfriend.

Amazingly enough, her boyfriend was trying to help me which is why we connected but, I made the choice to move out once she showed open hostility and resentment to my presence. That and the pressure to drink was enough. I couldn't deal with it as I didn't have any energy to spare.

I regretfully moved into a shelter, and it was there where I was poisoned with bath salts. That was not just a psychic attack; it was a physical attack too. I became trapped in the astral realm as a result.

What that means is that I wasn't existing on the physical plane where we have senses and can protect ourselves. I was trapped in a virtual dream world and completely open to having what remained of my physical self annihilated.

I was starving when I met my teacher. I was starving because I was not connected to my earthly body. I would have died without even realizing the need of hunger. My teacher performed an exorcism on me and yanked me back from the astral realm back into the physical plane. If I had remained in the astral realm, I would have eventually died.

The scary thing about the astral realm is that it is a place where all sorts of spirits and energies reside: good and bad, decent and evil.

The astral realm is the place that one can access by means of a Ouija Board and my teacher has stressed just how dangerous these are. They are not toys, they are extremely hazardous, and should never be used. The reason is that they directly access the astral realm, and you never know who is on the other side.

Once you are there, anything or anyone can take control of what is left of your physical life. When I met my teacher, something had me under its control. It was female, and she staked a claim to me. She possessed me and had put some kind of choke hold around my throat thus disabling my need for nourishment.

During the exorcism with Mr. Z, he demanded that the spirit leave. Then, he challenged it. I remember that I scoffed at him and laughed in his face when he said that. I emitted this awful, cackle laugh and replied to him, "You can't have her!"

I was stunned because it was my voice but it wasn't me speaking. Eventually, he gripped me back to reality and also gave me some incredibly valuable tools that I have used since then. I wanted to share what has helped me to survive vicious, multi-sourced, psychic attacks below.

1. Psalm 91

From the first day that I was rescued, I was instructed to read Psalm 91 every night. By some eerie twist, I happened to have bought a book at a store about a month before I met Mr. Z. I usually never bought books at this particular store, but one day I saw a book and knew that I needed to buy it. The book was "Psalms and Proverbs."

I still have that book today and since September 2011, I have read Psalm 91 every single night. I also added Psalm 71 a few months later. Every night I recite them both.

2. White Votives

I have lit white votives every night and said the Psalms since 2011, as well. I light my votives often as their purpose is to expel negative energy from me and my home. When I get home from work or even when I'm just chilling out, I light votives.

It's important that they are not scented as they need to be unadulterated candles, and scented candles are adulterated. I've noticed that during particularly stressful times, the more votives I have lit, the better I am. I also learned recently that even a computer image of a white candle burning is sufficient if you cannot find candles or afford them.

3. Salt & Vinegar Solution

I've been using this mixture for years mainly to handle nightmares. I have a paste made of vinegar and salt that I mix together and place in a high corner of my room.

Its function is to eliminate negativity and drive out psychic attacks. I didn't always check it every day and noticed that when I did not, my stress got worse. Therefore, I check it every day and makes sure it's stirred.

4. Meditation

I do hourly silent meditation once a day where I visualize unhooking negative energies from me. It is extremely helpful in freeing me from toxic energy.

5. Shoes, Clothing, and Hair

I do not let anyone cut my hair or change it outside of my teacher. That is because hair is protective of the body, and people can put negative energy or thoughts into your hair if they have bad intentions.

I always change my clothes when I get home too. In other words, I do not go to bed wearing anything I wore out in public because clothes pick up energy from the world around you. If and when you bring it home with you, the last place you want some strange person's energy is in your personal space or bedroom.

The same goes with shoes. I leave them at the door because they carry energy from the outside world, usually the lowest kind.

6. Crystals and Stones

I have a bag of personal crystals and stones that help me, and I carry them with me. My teacher tells me that when selecting a rock or stone, to pick the one that calls to you or is the most appealing. The reason for that is because you are in need of the energy or healing properties that it offers to you, and you can sense that by it calling out.

Even with all of these steps, I still have very visual dreams. I normally write them down and when I do that, they tend not to repeat themselves.

These things have helped me to combat vampirism and psychic attack. In addition to that, I drink only pure water, no tap. I try to eat as healthy as I can and use aromatherapy and essential oils. I exercise almost daily. I keep myself and my home clean. I don't mean obsessive-compulsive clean, just clean and functional.

I have been preparing and planning this resilience for years to where I'm much better off than I was before I almost died and I got extra help from the tools above. I really did not feel as affected by old ploys and tricks that might have previously upset me.

These are truly helpful for sensitive people, empaths, and clairvoyants who are largely at risk for psychic attacks. They also work really well for anybody who wishes to live a more productive and positive life.

I'm sure that you will see if you try some that you will notice a change in your life for the better. And count your blessings if you aren't an empath because you might have the luxury of doing this recreationally, whereas we sensitive souls must do them religiously in order to survive, thrive, and prosper.