We've all known someone who takes a lot more than they give. Be it time, money, love, energy, or anything else, they wouldn't put any effort into actually reciprocating any of the things they got from their peers.
As it turns out, this behavior doesn't exist solely in humans, and recent studies prove that the stealing of life-sustaining energy takes place in other natural bodies. What does this mean for our human relationships, and how can we protect ourselves from it?
When confronted with someone who's encroaching on your energy without offering anything in return, it can be hard to put your foot down and stop it, especially if you've struggled with confidence issues in the past.
Struggles with self-esteem can haunt someone for decades, but it's never too late to overcome them. Learn how to reprogram your brain away from negative thoughts with this simple audio course. Click here to learn more and change your life for the better.
We, as human beings, reflect the world around us. We act as mirrors for the energies we're surrounded by, reflecting them back outwards. The more positivity we receive, the more positivity we put out into the world, same goes for negativity. This simple belief forms the basis for many general beliefs, with every 'reap what you sow' sentiment all returning to this concept.
What if it was more than just a concept? What if there was scientific evidence of this being the case? As it turns out, there just might be.
A team from Bielefeld University in Germany conducted a study that proves that plans draw energy from other plants, an energy that registers differently than that from the sun or other sources.
The team, led by Professor Dr. Olaf Kruse, published their findings in the journal Nature Communications. Their report confirmed that plant life, specifically green algae named Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, relied not only on photosynthesis to stay alive but also used the energy drawn from other plants in its vicinity.
This behavior took place when the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was unable to draw enough energy from photosynthesis alone to live. It then relied on the reserves of others to keep itself afloat.
This happened on a microscopic level, but its effects were still evident. The other algae around the target plant were made weaker for it, but they all lived despite it, creating a sort of temporary symbiotic relationship between them. Studies are continuing to see if this behavior can be seen in other species of algae, with signs pointing to 'yes' so far. After that, it's on to see if other plant genera do the same.
What does this mean for us, though? How does this relate to humans?
Psychologist Dr. Olivia Bader-Lee believes this plant behavior directly mimics that of humans. "When energy studies become more advanced in the coming years, we will eventually see this translated to human beings as well," she said. "The human organism is very much like a plant, it draws needed energy to feed emotional states and this can essentially energize cells or cause increases in cortisol and catabolize cells depending on the emotional trigger.”
When thinking about your own relationships, this does start to ring true. You and your loved ones feed off each others' energy in a similarly symbiotic sense, both providing one another with the extra support, extra love, and extra care you need when you're feeling less than your best. This mirrors the algae that takes some of its peers' energy when it doesn't get all it needs.
Now, plants don't have feelings like we do, so they can't have things like bad intentions or malicious motivations. There are people who do, though.
For someone who doesn't care about helping others, who doesn't participate in this natural give-and-take of energies, they can see the kindness of others as something to exploit. They have all the energy they need, but they want more, they want to keep feeling fueled as much as they can, so they'll continuously take, take, take energy they don't need without giving any in return.
Say there was an evil plant out there that needlessly stole energy from other plants so it could grow and thrive more. What would happen to the plants it was stealing from?
More than likely, they would slowly shrivel up, only able to exist within the shadow of that master plant.
That's exactly what happens to people who are victims of someone constantly wringing them of their energy, too. They grow tired, they grow weary, and they grow weak, all so someone who doesn't deserve it can continue to thrive. It becomes burdensome.
But they continue to do it because they're kind. They do it because they often can't tell they're being taken advantage of.
This is a bit of a cautionary tale, really. If plants are able to tangibly take energy away from those they're connected to, who's to say a human can't do the same? At the very least, there are plenty of people who feel like they're in that exact situation, and they deserve to be free from their leech.
So keep an eye out, both on your own energy and that of your friends. If you spot someone being used, try reaching out to help, get them away from the person weakening them, and give them a safe space they can recoup. With each other's help, your personal ecosystem can thrive together and cut off the parasite among you.
Having your energy stolen from that kind of person can do some serious damage, including reducing your identity down to someone they can use. That type of life can really tank your self-esteem, which can be hard to recover from.
It is possible, though, and you can start today. This audio program is designed to help rework your brain, training it away from negative thoughts and toward a more positive outlook. Click here and learn how your confidence can soar in just minutes.
As we move ever closer to the end of 2024 and the start of 2025,…
Any mental health struggle, no matter how big or small, is just that, a struggle.…
Though every family has their own unique traditions surrounding the holiday season, there's still a…
In the decades since its inception, NASA has helped humans explore new frontiers, spaces beyond…
Two things we've seen time and time again in horror or otherwise eerie media are…
Parenting is a truly unique experience, with no set of parents ever doing the exact…