[His instinct is to say it's worse because this craving was stimulating his not-so-distantly-in-the-past demon blood addiction. Like a recovering alcoholic suddenly needing alcohol to survive. Sustenance and vice all in one and a little demon inside encouraging the darkest of his impulses along the way. But it's not a fair assessment. He doesn't know what the cravings are like for Elena. They have to be bad considering how close she came to feeding on him not so long ago.]
It's not easy. Either part. Have you...? [How do you ask someone if they've been drinking blood?]