Therapy for compulsive lying

Addicted to Lying

Telling lies is a bad thing. Therefore, we are taught not to do so. Yet, we all lie, at one point or another. Usually, we tell white lies in order to help certain people to not get offended, discouraged or uncomfortable. However, we always have our guilt to remind us that we have done something bad.

Nevertheless, there are people who have no guilt lying. Rather, they use lies for whatever they need in their lives. They lie about themselves, about others, just about anything. Yet, they sleep like babies - no guilt, no need for redemption. These people are called compulsive liars and this condition is considered to be a psychological problem where people tell lies even without being aware of it.

The lies that these people tell are often related to their past experiences. They might have suffered from low self-esteem or certain traumas in the past. So, now, they protect themselves by lying about themselves. At times, these lies are quite transparent and can be seen through easily, making these people unwanted in many social circles.

Therefore, compulsive liars are in desperate need for adequate treatment, however, there is a difference between a compulsive liar and a pathological one. Namely, the first one lies naturally about anything while the latter uses lies for manipulation and personal gain.

How To Recognize a Compulsive Liar?

A negative aspect about compulsive liars is that you must fall for their lies in order to realize that you have been lied to. However, there are certain signs which you may want to look for when you begin suspecting that a specific individual may be a compulsive liar.

These people usually suffer from a bipolar personality disorder as well. Thus, they are likely to be prone to mood swings, where depression and lethargy is abruptly taken over by maniacal fits and impulsive desires.

Also, people who were lying a lot as children, getting out of trouble safely by not telling the truth, tend to grow fond of this habit and practice it all the time later in life. There is a chance that children with ADHD may become compulsive liars as well.

Additionally, compulsive liars have troubles facing the truth they are hiding, lying even when they are completely exposed. They can be narcissists, manipulative people or individuals prone to addictions.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Once a compulsive liar is submitted to a health institution, he will be examined physically and mentally, also, he will need to undergo a lie detector test where a series of questions will be asked, telling the doctors whether a certain person is a compulsive liar or not. Since this test can be manipulated, doctors pay close attention to other symptoms of this disorder. Once the diagnosis is given, the treatment may involve cognitive behavioral therapy, medications, should the causes demand them, or other types of therapy sessions.