Energy Vampires

We all know at least one energy vampire. They might be perfectly nice, in fact, they generally are, but spending time with them leaves you feeling drained and weak. They complain to you about their lives, you commiserate with them. You so want to help them feel better, and they often do after speaking with you. But at what cost? Is there a way to deal with these energy vampires, other than cutting them out of your life altogether? How can you protect yourself against other people “robbing” you of your energy?