difference between pathological and compulsive liar

#Difference between pathological and compulsive liar how to#
#Difference between pathological and compulsive liar professional#

Compulsive lying and pathological lying are two different problems. Furthermore, many people believe that pathological and compulsive liars are the same thing. The terms compulsive liar and pathological liar get thrown around a lot without many people understanding what those terms mean. Compulsive Lying Is Not The Same As Pathological Lyingįirst, we need to define what a compulsive liar is.

#Difference between pathological and compulsive liar professional#

You will also see how professional help and online therapy can help someone who is lying compulsively or people who are dealing with or have a relationship with a pathological liar.

#Difference between pathological and compulsive liar how to#

In this article, you will learn the difference between a pathological and compulsive liar, why compulsive and pathological liars lie, how to detect each liar, and some tips to deal with a pathological liar or compulsive liar. Pathological liars are often less aware of their lies and symptoms, refuse treatment and help, and have difficulty holding jobs or a relationship because of their lies. Pathological liars also have a habit of lying compulsively but with the explicit intent to harm and manipulate others. It is also important to identify pathological liars, which many could argue are far more dangerous. It is, therefore, important for you to be able to spot a compulsive liar and gain tips for dealing with a liar. It can also be dangerous, depending on the extent of the lies they are telling, and if you mistakenly believe and act on them. The compulsive liar seems to lie to everyone about everything, and being around them can be both a pain and a strain. Those scenarios are completely different, however, from what happens in compulsive lying. After all, most of the lies we tell would probably come under the heading of 'harmless fibbing' or 'white lies.' Plus, we tend to feel it is OK to tell little white lies sometimes, like when we want to avoid hurting someone’s feelings or when lies could keep someone out of harm’s way. Feldman, a psychologist, and researcher from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, concluded that 60% of us would tell at least one lie while engaged in a 10-minute conversation. When backed into a corner by facts, they will often defend themselves by telling even more lies.We all tell lies – it would be a lie to say you didn’t! In fact, Robert S. They don’t like to be doubted: Pathological liars typically become defensive or evasive when the believability of their stories is questioned.

They may simply be unable to remember exactly how they told the lie the last time, their exaggerated self-images drive them to further embellish the story with each telling. Pathological liars often expose themselves by frequently changing material details about their stories. Their stories may change: Grandiose, complex fantasies are hard to tell the same way every time.seeking adulation, attention, or sympathy). That is, pathological liars need no external motivation to tell a lie their motivation is internal (e.g. They don’t need a reason to lie: Pathological lying is considered a chronic tendency driven by an innate personality trait.As a result, pathological liars can seem aloof or self-centered, with little concern for others. They sometimes come to believe their stories so completely that at some point they lose awareness of the fact that they are lying. They really believe it: The old adage 'if you tell a lie often enough, you start to believe it' holds true for pathological liars.Seeking sympathy, they are always the hopelessly suffering victims of outrageous circumstances.

Seeking adulation, they are always heroes or heroines, never villains or antagonists.

They are always the hero or victim: Pathological liars are always the stars of their stories.

They tend to be classic “name-droppers,” claiming to be close friends with famous people they may have never met. Their stories often depict fantastic circumstances in which they possess great wealth, power, bravery, and fame.

Their stories are fantastically outlandish: If the first thing you think is “No way!”, you may be listening to a tale told by a pathological liar.