Coming to Terms
One of the first things any newly awakened psi will want to do is confirm that they are indeed just that. This is something that one must discover on their own. It is strongly recommended that you go out and ask around, read up on the subject, but with one thing in mind; everything you hear and read should be taken as hearsay, and NOT fact. Only you, the reader, can decide in the end what you are and what you aren't.
This page is to help point out what I read when it came to becoming awakened. Remember, this is merely opinions, and never 100% fact, for proving such a thing is not possible as of yet (as far as I know). Also, it is important to realize that just because something happens in one way for someone, it doesn't mean that this is the pattern for everyone. With that in mind, here is what I dug up...

What to Look For
There are warning signs that happen to many psi's before they awaken. Some, but not all, include;

• A stressful or painful moment in your life
• Clinical depression (normally uni-polar)
• Prone to sickness suddenly (get sick multiple times in quick succession)
• Drinks with citric acid start to cause stomach cramps
• Sunlight is tolerable, but is more sensitive than before
• A feeling of unexplained emptiness
• Strong sense of how those around you are feeling
• Those around you feel tired or cranky for no real reason

These are the less-obvious symptoms that many psi-vamps experience when awakening. If you missed what awakening itself entails, read the section about how I awakened. More obvious symptoms include; feeling energy about you, seeing auras, and other psychic phenomena which is out of the ordinary.

What to Expect
What should feel like when you awaken? Most, including myself, are tired, depressed, and even have pains. This is due to your need to take in energy is making you drained. To alleviate the problem, a psi will have to feed. One excellent way of determining if you're a psi-vamp is by trying to feed. If you feel a significant difference in your attitude and overall pep, you could indeed be a psychic vampire.
Being a psi-vamp isn't all about seduction and secrecy. It's a difficult process of learning how to survive. You don't become immortal. You don't transform into Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise. And no, Anne Rice to call you to congratulate you on your transformation. It's you and you alone. There are those out there that are willing to give assistance, but in the end, it's you who makes the decisions. I had to go through it, as did every psi out there that now has to feed. It's not easy, but it's a process that in the end works out for the best.

What is Psychic Vampirism?
In all generality, a Psychic Vampire is someone who is incapable of producing the energy needed to survive. This life energy, also known as pranic energy, is naturally created by the body. Those who cannot create this energy must feed off of others who can in order to keep their levels of pranic energy stable. Psychic vampires accomplish this through mental abilities (empathy) which let them tap into a life source and take in their energy for his/her own. There are blood vampires as well. They are known as sanguinarius vampires, and also have an energy deficiency. Instead of feeding through psychic means, though, they get their energy through blood, which is the highest physical source of pranic energy.
The means for obtaining this energy is discussed in more detail on the section about feeding. For a rough idea, though, just look at it like this;

All normal humans (many vampires call them "nils") have enough energy to live well. If this energy were measured, we could say that it fills an entire glass (strictly for a visual, not an actual measurement). Vampires, blood or psi, have glasses which are not nearly filled enough. Imagine a vampire's glass with a small crack on it's bottom that leaks slowly. To keep our glasses full, we take the excess in a human's glass. Those that we take from can fill their glass back up, and our glasses are now full. We are happy and content until our glasses leak enough to make our glass noticeably empty, and we go through the cycle again.

Why Psi and Not Blood?
So why would one vampire with this deficiency feed psychically and not through blood (sanguinariusly)? Basically, you could look at sanguinarius and psychic vampires as two different races. We are born seperate, and in that respect, have individual traits, needs, and practices. A sanguinarius vampire normaly does not have psychic abilities, and feeds strictly through blood. In that respect, psychic vampires have empathic (psychic) abilities naturally, and feed this way because it comes naturally. There are those who feed both through blood and psychic means. Both practices get the job done, and are equally rewarding.