Signs of Compulsive Lying
From LoveToKnow Recovery
Knowing whether someone is a compulsive liar can be difficult unless you know the signs of compulsive lying.
Knowing the Signs of Compulsive Lying
There are many reasons why someone can tell a lie as easily as telling the truth. Here are the most common attributes of someone that compulsively lies.
Low Self-Esteem
Someone that doesn't feel good about him or herself will try to make up stories to embellish his or her life with accomplishments.
Seeks Attention
Some people have to be the center of attention everywhere they go. This type of person will say or do anything to gain the focus of a group. Compulsive liars will usually have a large audience at first, but they soon find their friends have drifted off.
Preps Stories
Some liars will set you up for a story so you will be more likely to believe it. They may say something like, "You wouldn't believe what happened to me!" or "You are going to think I am lying because this was truly unbelievable!".
Covers Up
A compulsive liar will usually not admit he or she has told a lie, instead he or she will either deny your accusation or make up another story to cover up the original lie that was told.
Stories Are Incongruent with Actions
Some liars have a hard time keeping up with the fibs they tell. Sometimes they can say they are adventurous because they climbed Mount Everest alone, but then they refuse to take part in a similar yet not-so-adventurous activity like climbing a rock wall at a local amusement park.
Switches Stories
Telling lies can become difficult if you don't remember which lie you told to whom. People that fib a lot can have a hard time keeping their stories straight and change them without even realizing it. This is definitely a clue that a person is making it up.
Body Language
One of the biggest issues in identifying people that compulsively lie is that they can fib so well and look you in the eyes. However, try to notice other signs by looking at the position of their arms and hands. If their arms are crossed, this usually means they are feeling defensive. Blinking a lot is another sign of lying. When studying body language, remember that cultural differences can affect the way someone acts when talking, so be careful about making false assumptions.
Other People are Skeptical
If you have a friend or family member that suspects a particular person is not telling the truth most of the time, that is another clue this person may not be as trustworthy as you might have previously thought.
You Found Proof
Sometimes the person will tell you something that you later find out for a fact was false. The more proof you find, the more you will begin to believe that person hardly ever tells the truth.
What's Next?
Knowing whether someone has a compulsive lying disorder can help you deal with that person. It's difficult to talk to someone that doesn't tell the truth and will not admit it. This means it's hard to get any sort of treatment for compulsive liars. One of the most beneficial treatments for liars is counseling, but it needs to happen voluntarily. The only thing you can really do is protect yourself. Now that you know this person has a difficult time telling the truth, you can either stay away from him or her, or listen cautiously. Don't automatically take anything this person says as the truth, and check with others to find out what is right.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that even if someone exhibits the following signs of compulsive lying, it does not necessarily mean he or she is a compulsive liar. Some people may really have unbelievable stories or lives, so make sure to take in all the information you can when trying to decide if what you're being told is honestly the truth.
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This page has been accessed 4,236 times. This page was last modified 01:31, 9 October 2009.
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