Pathological Lying
Although pathological lying is not a mental health diagnosis within itself, it is a concept that is very well known in psychology and is typically a sign of an underlying mental health condition. This form of lying is related to disordered thinking patterns as well as belief systems. Pathological liars continue to lie even when it causes psychological distress, potential danger, and creates issues within relationships, work, and other aspects of life. The warning signs of pathological lying begin during adolescence and young adulthood with the habit being reinforced over time. It’s important to note that pathological liars might lie for a specific reason, no reason at all, and are not defined by the frequency of their lies.
Pathological lying can be defined as “a persistent, pervasive, and often compulsive pattern of excessive lying behavior that leads to clinically significant impairment of functioning in social, occupational, or other areas; causes marked distress; poses a risk to the self or others; and occurs for longer than six months.” The signs of pathological lying seen in young adults include embellishing lies with extensive details, telling dramatic and unlikely stories, appearing anxious while talking, getting defensive when confronted about a lie, and consistently changing their story to fit their narrative. Additional signs include lying about something for no apparent reason, coming off as unconcerned when caught lying, feeling a “high” after getting away with a lie, taking a story that was told to them and making it their own story, and acting in ways that don’t match what they are saying. Research suggests that pathological lying is related to brain function due to imaging research showing the brains of pathological liars look different from non-pathological liars.
Research has also found that childhood trauma, such as neglect or abuse, can be the root cause of someone’s pathological lying. Abused or neglected children may be lying because they did not get their needs met as a child and have started to utilize lying as a defensive mechanism to gain love and reassurance. Furthermore, adolescence and young adults who are pathological liars might internalize the idea they aren’t good enough so they lie to hide parts of themselves they view as unforgivable and unworthy of another person's love. When addressing pathological lying behaviors in therapy it’s important to address the mental health issue that is reinforcing the lying. Therapy allows pathological liars to become aware of their patterns, recognize why they lie, motivate them to bring about change, and introduce healthier ways of communicating needs and emotions.
Source: Newport Institute