Quick Summary:
Pathological liars compulsively tell lies without clear benefit or intent to deceive, often due to unconscious psychological or neurological factors. Unlike typical or manipulative liars, they lie reflexively to cope with trauma, low self-esteem, or personality disorders such as antisocial, narcissistic, and borderline personality disorders.
Their lies are frequent, minor, and often grandiose or dramatic, with stories that change inconsistently over time. Interesting factor, they genuinely believe their own falsehoods and show little to no guilt or remorse, even when asked.
Neuroimaging studies suggest that increased white matter in their prefrontal cortex causes the rapid fabrication of lies. Pathological lying is not an official mental disorder but a symptom linked to deeper emotional and neurological dysfunctions. To cope with such a liar:
- Set firm boundaries to protect your emotional well-being.
- Avoid confronting emotions. Stick to facts calmly.
- Keep a record of conversations or commitments for accountability.
- Don’t take their lies personally, as their behaviour is often related to inner issues.
- Encourage professional help if they’re open to therapy.
- Use a polygraph when facts truly need verification with caution and consent.
Who is a Pathological Liar?
Psychology has a different name for pathological liars, which is Pseudologia Fantastica. This name helps describe the repetitive lying, including fantastical elements in lying and claiming unrealistic things, habits of pathological liars.
Pathological liars are usually not in control of their habit of lying, as it’s a chronic behaviour deeply rooted in psychological, neurological, and emotional dysfunctions. Though pathological lying is not considered a mental health disorder, it is included as one of the symptoms of ASPD, NPD, and BPD.
Dr. Beau A. Nelson distinguishes pathological liars from typical liars, saying that pathological lying is most of the time a coping mechanism for people. This may build up in a person due to some overlooked psychological and personality issues.
How Do Psychologists Differentiate Between Manipulative and Pathological Liars?
Manipulative and pathological liars both lie frequently, but what differentiates them is the nature, motivation, and psychological basis of their lying behaviour.
A significant difference between these two types of liars has been stated to be the intention. Manipulative liars lie to achieve certain goals, whereas pathological liars don’t intend to gain anything from lying.
Pathological liars lie to get out of a social situation that may be too much for them or make them anxious. We can’t find the validation of this trait through Dr. Drew Curtis’s statement. According to him, pathological liars lie as a response to anxiety in social situations, and lying in uncomfortable moments helps them to reduce the anxiety.
In the case of manipulative liars, Dr. Abigail Brenner states that they lie only to gain control or deceive others. They make up lies strategically and twist the words of others to achieve their own agenda.
Psychology defines manipulative liars as people with a dark personality who gaslight, blackmail, deceive, and instill fear into others to control them. But for pathological liars, lying is only a coping mechanism to survive their trauma, according to Dr. Nancy Irwin.
Why Pathological Liars Keep Lying Even When the Truth Is Easier
Lying is not an intentional strategic behaviour for pathological liars. There are complex neurological, behavioural, and psychological factors underlying their lies.
Factitious Disorder
A mental disorder known as Munchausen syndrome, which is a mental illness of claiming to be ill, either physically or mentally. This is an automatic trauma response and not an intentional tactic to gain something. In such a case, the liar cannot control their lying even if the truth is harmless.
Different Brain Structure
Studies have discovered through neuroimaging that pathological liars have an increased amount of white matter in the prefrontal cortex. White matter is responsible for conducting faster communication among brain regions, which helps pathological liars to fabricate stories instantly, like a reflex.
Personality Disorder
Certain personality disorders, such as narcissistic, borderline, and antisocial, are responsible for developing the need to lie in pathological liars. These personality disorders include distorted self-perception, impaired empathy, and restless interpersonal behaviour. So the pathological liars lie to preserve a worthy self-image, avoid rejection, and protect relationships.
Tripartite Theory
According to experts, liars tend to lie when three conditions are met. The conditions are that lying is beneficial, the consequences of lying are bearable, and the lie is morally justifiable. This is the criterion that pathological liars meet frequently, making lying a default behaviour for them.
How to Define a Pathological Liar? [Telltale Signs to Watch For]
Unlike habitual liars, pathological liars lie to cope with stress, low self-esteem, trauma, and other mental health conditions. There are significant signs in pathological liars that can’t be seen in normal liars, such as
Telling Frequent but Minor Lies
Pathological liars lie about the most unnecessary things, such as they might claim that they know a celebrity or they know how to do a task when in reality they don’t. These are minor lies, but they keep telling lies like this frequently.
Inconsistency in Lying
Pathological liars keep changing the details of their stories. As they lie impulsively without thinking ahead, their lies are not structured. As a result, their narratives change over time with contradictions.
Telling Exaggerated Dramatic Lies
Their lies include fantastical, dramatic events that are too good to be true. In those dramatic lies, they picture themselves as heroic figures and try to grab attention through these lies.
Mismatched Body Language
Their verbal claims don’t really match their expressions or body language. Sometimes they appear totally void of emotions when telling a lie.
Lack of Guilt or Remorse
Unlike typical liars, pathological liars don’t feel shame or guilt when lying, as they tend to believe the lies they’re telling. Even when their lies get exposed, they show no sign of remorse.
How Experts Use Polygraphs to Spot Pathological Liars?
A polygraph test is a highly effective professional approach in detecting lies. A polygraph test is conducted based on the theory that there are certain changes in the human body that occur when someone is lying.
Therefore, the polygraph test detects involuntary physiological changes such as blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductivity, and respiration through electrodes and gives accurate results.
Experts use polygraphs to eliminate obvious lies, identify contradictory details, and ask questions that might help them to get to the truth. When non-verbal signs of lying fail to expose the liar, a polygraph test can be the right approach to make the interrogation more efficient.
How to Cope with Someone Who Lies Pathologically?
Pathological liars can be hard to cope with because of their compulsive lying habit. They’re hard to trust, and it’s frustrating to keep analysing if they’re telling the truth or not.
Keep Your Calm
Dealing with frequent unnecessary lies can be irritating and frustrating. But to maintain a relationship with pathological liars, you shouldn’t lose your calm. It’s better to deal with them calmly than to offend them.
Encourage Getting Help
If you’re a well-wisher of a person who lies pathologically, you should advise them to seek help from professionals. Don’t directly provoke them. Instead, make them understand that it’s for their own good.
Strategic Communication
When you feel the need to confront them, approach strategically rather than triggering them. Liars who lie pathologically may lose their cool or become defencive when they get questioned, so it’s wise to strategically plan a conversation before approaching them.
Therapeutic Approach
Therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy may help pathological liars to control their impulsive lying.
Don’t Take It Personally
Don’t blame yourself for the impulsive lying behaviour of pathological liars. Their lying pattern is in no way related to you.
