Unraveling the Web of Deceit: Enter the World of Pathological Liars
Prepare to dive into a world where truth is a casualty and deception reigns. Lying is an artful dance of fabricated tales and gray half-truths. A pathological liar always lays a treacherous path where danger might lurk at every turn. An unsuspecting victim can be drawn in and suffer.
So, brace yourself. We are about to embark on a journey into the heart of deception.
Decoding the World of Lies: What is Pathological Lying?
Pathology is translated as the cause or effect of illness.
Therefore, pathological lying refers to excessive lying that leads to the dysfunctionality of other life aspects. Pathological lying isn’t considered a mental health issue but a sign of an underlying mental health disorder.
A pathological liar’s underlying yet undiagnosed mental health issue can worsen over time, harming themselves. On the other hand, their constant lies can make it challenging for others to trust and build relationships with them.
Signs You Are Dealing with a Pathological Liar
While the lies told by pathological liars aren’t always easy to detect, especially in the beginning, the following eleven signs can help give them away:
- Seeming restless or anxious when telling a lie
- Unnecessarily long and detailed stories
- Dramatic details and narration
- Not answering specific details
- Narrating unlikely or fantastical details
- Changing details when recounting the stories
- Passing off incidents that happened to others as their own
- Almost always talking about themselves
- Acting in real life differently than how they act in their stories
- Seeming unbothered when confronted with the truth
- Acting aloof or defensive when caught over small lies
- Lying without reason or purpose
- Trying to pass an opinion about themselves through the story
- Becoming irritated when interrupted
- Frequently canceling plans at the last moment
Cracking the Code: Navigating the World of Pathological Liars
In a world of pathological liars, not everything is as it seems. Under their tangled web of deceit, complexities lie in wait.
As we enter this captivating maze, remember that understanding their intentions can be as difficult as catching their lies; not all of them have ill intentions. Some of them can suffer from believing their lies, which can complicate catching their lies and providing them with the right help.
Such liars suffer from delusion and serious mental health issues, such as dementia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, ADHD, Munchausen syndrome, or antisocial personality disorder. They may also suffer from unprocessed trauma and abuse, leading them to become people pleasers or narcissistic.
Final Thoughts
In his book, What Bad We Do, author Ray Comeau explores how one destroys their own life and those around them. He offers guidance on analyzing one’s actions, ways to fix mistakes, and making better decisions in the future.
There is no doubt that it can be extremely challenging and exhausting to deal with a pathological liar. However, we can always positively contribute to others’ lives. Learn how to draw emotional and mental boundaries to protect yourself yet effectively help others around you with What Bad We Do.