Pathological Lying

Pathological lying is considered to be a disease or condition of a person who is a habitual liar. The following article will cover some information that will help you identify the pathological lying symptoms and take corrective action.

Alec was a smart, young man of 28 years. He had been constantly searching for new jobs and could not settle in one place for more than 6 to 8 months. The reason had nothing to do with his abilities. Rather, he had a very peculiar habit that made him change his job, faster than one could imagine. Alec suffered from pathological lying disorder. He would lie to his colleagues and make up stories about his health. He would claim to be suffering from a life threatening disease and mention that he was undergoing palliative care. This helped him earn a lot of sympathies from his colleagues and bosses. He would take a off or pass on work to others citing health reasons. As time passed, people became wary of his lies. He would often be caught by colleagues having a good time at a restaurant, etc., especially when he had taken a day off quoting hospital visits or emergency health problems. Soon, he would be cornered and he nonchalantly denied ever being seen or caught. He would swear by his lies and never ever agree to have ever lied. Soon, he would either be fired or had to leave the job to avoid his lies being blown up in his face. Soon, Alec was smart enough to understand something was wrong and visited a psychiatric for help.

Have you faced a similar situation when your boyfriend/ girlfriend or even a spouse, kept on lying to you without ever missing a beat? Then, the person you know may be suffering from pathological lying. Trust is the most important aspect of any kind of relationship. When one lies to you continuously, for every little thing, it makes life terrible. Pathological lying is considered to be symptom for other underlying psychiatric disorders. These disorders include antisocial personality disorders (APD), delusional thinking, narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), etc. Let us learn about the pathological lying disorder in detail.

Pathological Lying Causes

Pathological lying disorder is also known as Pseudologia fantastica or mythomania. Anton Delbreuck described this disorder for the first time in 1891. The pathological lying causes are a bit dicey as according to the Diagnostic Manua IV, it is not a mental illness in its own right, but a symptom of other mental disorders. So, what are the pathological lying causes that compels a person to lie. Some say, the pathological lying causes may include a way to avoid hurting someone's feelings, to avoid embarrassments, to avoid unnecessary problems and headaches. But, pathological lying is seen as a second nature to a habitual liar.

Apart, from the 'white lies', pathological lying may seem to be a manipulative tool for these liars. They may use lying as a shield to avoid responsibilities, deadlines, projects, etc. It may also be source of support to supplement lies spoken earlier. So, the person needs to lie continuously to keep away responsibilities and add some reality to their fabricated lies.

A few people have certain neurological problems that causes them to lie. We have a conscious mind and a subconscious mind. Our conscious mind is aware of the reality around us and helps us focus on them. We all have a dream world spun in our subconscious mind that is most often turned off. However, in a few pathological lying cases, this switch that differentiates reality from the world of our dreams is faulty. This makes these habitual or chronic liars to lie and make their dream world a reality.

Pathological lying in children is seen when the child tries to avoid being punished, avoid doing homework or get more play time. So, kids may even lie to get their way and manipulate the adults around them. This is a serious problem as this shows there is a seed of some mental disorder within the child. To avoid the seed to germinate and grow into a serious weed of mental illness, one should speak to a child psychologists and seek help.

Adolescents turn into pathological liars as they have the urge to hide their wrong doings. They may do this not only to avoid punishment, but avoid hurting their parents feelings. Some may lie under peer pressure, to become popular among friends or gain independence. Adults lie for more complicated reasons and to get their needs and desires fulfilled. Every lie has a reason, and in case of pathological lying disorder, there may be a hidden mental disorder. These mental illnesses may include addiction, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, dissociative identity disorder, etc.

Pathological Lying Symptoms

People tend to lie in their everyday lives. But, in case of pathological lying disorder, these individuals will lie about each and everything. They may cook up stories that seem so genuine and sound too go to be true. A pathological liar may cancel most of your dates and give reasons that make you fall for them easily. They may always have something big happening in their lives that makes them the center of attraction where ever they go. They may even have a knack of convincing people with their lies and make them do what they want at all times. When they are caught lying, they will tend to lose their temper, become defensive and will never agree they ever lied. You will find their friends, family and colleagues coming up with the stories of the habitual liar and how he/she fooled them.

Pathological Lying Effects

Pathological lying effects are worse than the lies. These people have strained personal relationships and their love life takes a toss. These people tend to lie to their parents, siblings, friends, husbands, wives, children, colleges, even to people they have just met. Most of the time, pathological liars become an embarrassments to their friends and family. Some pathological liars begin to develop behavioral problems as well as psychiatric problems as they find themselves being cut off from their close aides.

Pathological Lying Vs Compulsive Lying

Many times, symptoms of a pathological liar are confused for compulsive liar symptoms. But, there is a very fine line diving compulsive lying from pathological lying. Compulsive liars lie because they know no other way. They lie to gain importance, mask their low self esteem or because of other psychiatric problems. In case, of pathological liar, they too may lie for same reasons sometimes, but they tend to have a manipulative streak. They lie to gain confidence of others, to make others trust them and follow their will. They want to have their own way in the end and therefore they turn to lying. They are egoistic individuals who are very cunning to use their lies to curtain their shallow reality. Compulsive liars tend to lie to feel better themselves and have no intention to hurt others, most of the time.

Pathological Lying Treatment

The pathological lying treatment depends on the individual accepting his fault of habitual lying. The person needs to understand he/ she needs help and visit a qualified psychiatric for help. The doctor may first try and find the pathological lying causes related to the individual. Then, he may treat the underlying psychological disorder first and carry out parallel treatment for pathological lying disorder. Medication and psychotherapy are a part of pathological lying treatment.

It becomes extremely difficult to find the difference between truth and lies after sometime. If you have come across a pathological liar, try and bring to their notice something is gravely wrong with them. This may be difficult as a person with pathological lying disorder may never agree that they ever lie. If they do not even attempt to help themselves, you are left with only two options. Either break off ties with the pathological liar or ignore their lies completely. If the person means a lot to you, try to help the person by seeking medical and psychiatric help. You never know what kind of psychiatric disorder is lurking in the corners of the brain, waiting to flare up uncontrollably.