While it may be difficult to treat - especially if it's due to a personality disorder - it's always worth a try. But pathological lying can get out of control, and even lead to problems with the law, with work, and relationships. With all of that said, it's fine to tell minor lies every now and again. As Barton says, "Pathological liars frequently will use a nugget of truth or fact to build the structure of their house of cards around, this also makes lies more palatable and accepted since part of it is true." They do, however, pepper in a few truths. "This is their baseline - you know them to be this way, therefore many are more trusting and allowing of inconsistencies amongst information delivered by a pathological liar because they have skillfully dressed it up in an appealing fashion, which has been openly accepted by those who buy into the lie(s)." And because of that, "a pathological liar will most likely lie to you the first time you meet them, to set the stage for more lying," Barton says. Many pathological liars won't show you their true personality, or let you get to know them, because that would make lying (and getting away with it) more difficult. This may result in the person lying outrageously, but convincingly." Just to be clear, not all pathological liars are sociopaths, but there is evidence to suggest that most sociopaths are pathological liars. But for those with antisocial personality disorder, they may have a higher level of testosterone and a lower level of cortisol than the average person. As Eddy says, "For most people, cortisol stops them from being overly aggressive and taking unreasonable risks. These different hormone levels may play a part in that. As Eddy says, "The most successful pathological liars are sociopaths, also known as 'antisocial personality disorder' to mental health professionals." "This allows them to be highly aggressive without concern for the risks involved, such as blatantly lying about something which could have serious consequences if they were caught."Īnd this might connect them to yet another personality disorder. "One of the most interesting theories about pathological liars is that they may have the opposite ratio of cortisol and testosterone than most people," Bill Eddy LCSW, a licensed therapist, tells Bustle. Here are some scientific facts about pathological lying, as well as what you can do about it, if you or a friend might be affected. Pathological lying can be difficult to treat, but that doesn't mean there isn't hope.
That said, this is something that we are supposed to outgrow as we become responsible upstanding citizens as adults." "Lying in children and adolescents is very normal, and a common universal part of development and growth. "Pathological liars are usually very insecure individuals raised by very authoritative and strict parents who were not excepting of that individual as they were, therefore the had to create a persona that was lovable and acceptable by their parents to avoid punishment, embarrassment, and vulnerability," says Barton.
While pathological lying can be its own disorder - known as pseudologia fantastica - it can also be a symptom of psychopathy, narcissistic personality disorder, anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder, among other things.Īnd, it can have roots in childhood trauma. It can become a part of the liar's everyday life, to the point where their whole existence is a fabrication.Īs you might have guessed, this level of lying is usually a symptom of a greater problem. Michele Barton, director of Psychology Life Well, tells Bustle. "A pathological liar is somebody who lies without effort, someone for whom telling a lie comes more naturally than telling the truth," psychologist Dr. While we all tell little white lies occasionally, there's a big difference between someone who fibs every now and again, and someone who is a pathological liar.
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