The use of pharmaceutical medication has not shown any promise.Īt this point in time, psychotherapy has been the only method to treat pathological lying and it has had limited success.Pathological lying (PL) is a controversial topic.

If the lying becomes more severe it can lead to legal problems such as fraud, impersonation or other serious offenses. What are the Consequences?Īs you can imagine, there are many negative consequences to being a pathological liar whether it stems from APD, other mental or personality disorders, or from being the habitual compulsive liar.Īlmost all pathological liars suffer failed relationships and friendships due to lack of trust. They believe their lies and live in a false sense of reality. A compulsive liar does not necessarily suffer from another mental disorder.ĪPD individuals lie because they have a personality disorder which, debatably, they were born with or developed at a very young age.Īs expressed previously, they lie in order to gain something and to purposely manipulate others. Most of the literature is in agreement that the compulsive liar suffers from insecurity and low self esteem.

Lying is like an addiction for them and it helps alleviate their feelings of discomfort. They typically have been exposed to an environment that made it necessary to lie they lied out of fear – whether to avoid punishment, embarrassment or to prevent themselves from disappointing other significant people in their lives. Why do They Lie?Ī compulsive liar appears to develop their habit of lying in childhood. People with APD or NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) are more likely to engage in this type of pathological lying, whereas individuals with ADHD (Attention deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Bipolar Disorder or Borderline Personality Disorder tend to engage more in the compulsive, chronic lying as mentioned above where there is little personal gain. They also engage in a great deal of exaggeration and continually change their stories. When confronted, they tend to become defensive and will not admit to telling falsehoods. They have been known to pass lie detector tests. Individuals with APD can often believe their own lies to the point where they can become reality for them.īecause they believe their own lies, they have no difficulty lying about their alleged experiences, incidents or illnesses. They have little or no concern for others and are not concerned with how their lies affect the other person(s). They are manipulative and usually have a goal in mind when they tell lies. Their lies and stories tend to be more consistent when retold.Ĭompulsive liars lie out of habit they usually know they are lying but seem unable to do anything to stop it.Ī “sociopath” or person with APD (Antisocial Personality Disorder) engages in excessive lying in order to get their own way. When they lie, there is often no personal gain and sometimes their lies will even present them in a negative rather than positive light. They will lie about everything-large and small-to avoid feeling this discomfort. It is their normal and reflexive way of reacting it is an automatic way of responding and is hard to break.įor them, telling the truth is awkward and feels uncomfortable. They list it as a symptom, or criterion, for other psychiatric disorders. However, DSM IV (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4 th edition), the mental health professionals’ “bible” does not have a specific definition for pathological lying nor considers it a mental disorder. Indeed, some people do view it as a mental illness as it may take over rational judgment and sometimes advances into a fantasy world. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as, “an individual who habitually tells lies so exaggerated or bizarre that they are suggestive of a mental disorder”. The term “pathological liar” seems to be controversial in the literature, with some authors describing a pathological liar as a habitual or compulsive liar while others make a strong case for differentiating compulsive lying from pathological lying. The term has been in use since 1891 and is described as, “falsification entirely disproportionate to any discernible end in view, may be extensive and very complicated, and may manifest over a period of years or even a lifetime”.

Compulsive liar vs pathological liar