PATHOLOGICAL LYING: IS IT A MENTAL ILLNESS OR JUST INSANITY?

From a my personal perspective, any type of compulsive behavior which exhibits a negative response from an external entity is equated to a mental illness. What do you think? Would someone who is a pathological liar fit this description? Is this the basic definition of someone who is a pathological liar in our society? Think about someone who you know or have known to exhibit a compulsive behavior to lie all of the time. As human beings, why do we feel the need to lie to one another whether we know the person or we don't know the person. What causes a human being to lie on a compulsive level? Well, I think that I may have the answer, but you be the judge. Speaking from interviews with clients and speaking from personal experience, I have come to realize that there is a major difference between a compulsive and pathological liar and a person who tells a little white lie. We can all attest to telling a little white lie. A little white lie is a very minor statement that we use at a particular moment. Some people tell little white lies during job interviews.

However, people who lie on a compulsive level have a well thought out, yet unconsciousnes plan to deliberately distort, twist, turn, manipulate, hurt, divide, and conquer a person, a group of people, or a situation. They are so good at what they do they because they can actually make you believe that there is a pink elephant in the room. However, do you know what is one of the best gifts that they have? They are always able to tell if honest people are lying to them. A compulsive liar can always sniff out another. You see, you cannot con a con person. There are times when compulsive liars can be dangerous as well. Have you ever witnessed the behavior to which compulsive liars exhibit when they are confronted with their own lies? It is a sight to see. Speaking from personal experience, it is best to confront them with their lies via phone contact not face to face. Remember, compulsive lying is linked to having a mental illness so be careful. Whenever you catch them in a lie, they seem to play "stuck on stupid" as if you don't know what you are talking about.

However, we must remember that all types of negative behaviors stems from the home environment. People who pathologically lie on a consistent basis are very insecure about themselves and have a very low sense of self and identity. When people have both of these things with themselves, they tend to look for something to identify with. I truly believe that people who pathologically lie are miserable people who are in deep and depressing pain. There are things to which they lack in their lives. When people lack certain things in their lives they will find a way to cope or compensate for what they have lost. Some people may use drugs to cope with pain, or alcohol to cope with pain, or self mutilation. However, others will use pathological lying as a way to cope with pain from their past. You see, compulsive lying is an intentional and deviant behavior from a human being. I think next to spitting on another human being, compulsive lying is the next worst entity to have as a human being. Therefore, is pathological lying linked to a mental illness. The answer is yes. You see, when a person does the same thing over and over again and it results to gaining a negative response from other people, then that is defined as "insanity" or having a mental illness.

Here are some ways to spot someone who compulsively lies on a consistent basis.

1. They never maintain any eye contact.
2. They have a huge problem with people who are honest.
3. They blame the whole world for their problems.
4. They laugh about everything during conversations.
5. They make up stories about everything from how their dog died to how they drove to the bank.
6. They talk about everybody in a negative way. They have nothing good to say about anyone. (Watch out for that)
7. From every story they tell you, they are always the victim.
8. They never take responsibility for any of their actions.
9. They never believe that they are wrong.
10. They use their hands a lot when they talk.
11. They don't have a care for anyone in the world.

In conclusion, since there are rehabs for drug users and alcoholics, there should be rehabilitation centers for people who lie on a compulsive and pathological level, especially if the compulsive lying has escalated to a violent result.

Book Zakia Gates to facilitate workshops about Compulsive Behaviors. Contact 215-247-3898.