![]() This behavior has been given several names by psychologists and researchers, such as mythomania, compulsive lying, and pseudologia fantastica (King & Ford, 1988). If a pathological liar is caught in the act and asked to explain their behavior, they may try to justify their choices, but they will not always have a good reason for having lied. Pathological liars are distinct from the rest of us in that they lie without such clear motives in fact, they lie even in situations where there is absolutely no pressure on them to respond in a certain way (Dike, 2008). ![]() For some of us, the act of lying comes with a lot of guilt or shame, while for others, it is not something that generates much of a reaction. Plenty of psychologists consider this “normal lying” and have noted all of the adaptive functions of lying, such as avoiding unnecessary emotional hurt and generally easing social interactions (Ford et al., 1988 Selling, 1942). These everyday lies we tell seem to have some kind of social purpose, which may be as simple as avoiding the unpleasant consequences of telling the truth in a given situation (Selling, 1942). Typically, my lies are small and intentional, having to do with whether somebody’s cooking tastes delicious (it’s usually good, but not delicious), whether I’m having a good day or not (it’s more complicated than “fine”), and if I remembered to do that one little task of no immediate consequence (no, I didn’t, but thank you for reminding me to do it). I know I am no exception to this statistic. Lying is the act of intentionally deceiving another person by saying things that are false, and this is something most people do regularly, at least once or twice a day (Grubin, 2005). Speaking with a mental health professional can help determine whether your behavior is a symptom of an underlying mental health condition and recommend ways to manage it.First, let’s look at the nature of lying itself. While pathological or compulsive lying is not a formal diagnosis acknowledged by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR), your experiences are real and valid. If you think you may have a habit of pathological or compulsive lying, talking with a mental health professional can help. And this behavior isn’t always pathological or compulsive. Lying may also be a symptom of conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance use disorder, or impulse control disorders - but this isn’t always the case. Pathological lying may be linked with some mental health conditions, such as personality disorders.įor example, people with narcissistic personality disorder or antisocial personality disorder may act in manipulative or deceitful ways, which could include behaviors such as pathologically lying. But research suggests that compulsive lying is a broader term that falls under pathological lying rather than being its own separate behavior. The exact reason why someone lies pathologically isn’t known, but researchers suggest that these lies can often grow from one initial lie more in people who pathologically lie than those who don’t.Ĭompulsive lying is often used interchangeably with pathological lying. It may affect their relationships and interfere with their daily life at work and at home. They may experience distress because of their behavior. It was used to describe behavior that involved telling outrageous lies so often that it was considered pathological.Ī person who lies pathologically may feel that this behavior is out of their control. Pathological lying, formerly called “pseudologia phantastica,” was a term originally coined in 1891 by psychiatrists Anton Delbrück. Other signs of pathological lying include telling untruths about minor events and continuing to lie even when confronted with the truth. They may lie about a variety of seemingly unimportant things. We might tell a white lie to:īut a person who lies pathologically constantly lies, sometimes without a seemingly good reason. White lies, or “fibs,” can be about a small matter. But when do those little white lies or omissions become a problem? When does lying become compulsive or pathological?
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