
A Compulsive Liar Apologizes When Confronted. You will notice these behaviors often if they tell lies a lot. Whether they are telling random lies or more minor “harmless” lies, they will exhibit the typical stressors of lying, such as avoiding eye contact and difficulty with conversation. You can probably spot a compulsive liar quickly because they are not comfortable when lying to others. A Compulsive Liar Gets Nervous When Lying. Often, there is no benefit or apparent reason for a compulsive liar to tell lies or create stories. When you catch a compulsive liar lying, you may wonder why they did it in the first place. While pathological lying occurs with a goal in mind, compulsive lying does not. A Compulsive Liar Lies For No Apparent Reason. However, it will be much easier to detect a compulsive liar because, unlike pathological liars, they often show the typical stressors accompanying lying. They may conjure fictional stories and lies about their past, hobbies, relationship status, or anything else they think they need to lie about. The most productive thing is to pay attention to the overall behaviors. The patterns of one compulsive liar will likely differ from another, and some may display all of these, while some will display very few. Keep in mind that these are generalizations.


Speak With A Mental Health Expert Online 10 Signs Of A Compulsive Liar If they have a goal in mind, it is often not malicious. For a variety of potential reasons, compulsive liars often struggle with telling the truth because lying may seem like a better option. For many, lying compulsively is more of a powerful habit and coping mechanism developed from childhood.

While a pathological liar often uses lies to manipulate others, a compulsive liar usually does not have this aim. It is important to note that compulsive lying differs from pathological lying, although the two terms are often linked together. The reasons why a compulsive liar lies are varied but usually center around the need to gain favor with others, elaborate the truth for their gain, save face in situations of difficulty, and more. The American Psychological Association defines a compulsive liar as someone with a “persistent, compulsive tendency to tell lies out of proportion to any apparent advantage that can be achieved.” Their reasons are usually harmless and often with well-meaning intentions.īut some people feel the need to lie compulsively, meaning frequently and without discretion. Most of us know someone who stretches the truth occasionally in certain circumstances.
