Compulsive Liar Symptoms

"I have found out recently that I am a compulsive liar. I was shocked when I found out the truth. I never thought that my lies are pushing away my family and friends. I don't lie purposely, but I can't help it. Lies just slip out of my mouth without me realizing it. I know I need help, and I am going to cure myself out of this dreadful disorder" ~ Amelia, a self-confessed compulsive liar.

I have been dating my boyfriend since over a year. I am really fond of him and he's always great to be with. But, lately I have discovered that he is lying to me about everything. There is no need for him to lie. I have caught him lying over 50 times a day. I am not sure if he does it on purpose or unknowingly, but this is taking a toll on our relation. I am planning to break off with him." ~ Abegail, a distraught girlfriend of a compulsive liar.

These are just two examples of compulsive liars, who have created a huge problem in their lives with their habit of lying compulsively. Many people do not realize the compulsive liar symptoms and suffer due to their ignorance. Compulsive liars are absolutely normal people, who carry out daily chores and live like you and me. What sets these people apart is their lying constantly, even when there is no reason to do so. Even when these people are facing the reality of their folly, they go into a state of denial and lie constantly. This person won't even realize his wrong behavior. This state of lying every time and about everything is known as compulsive liar syndrome. Compulsive liar symptoms are seen in both adults and children.

Compulsive Liar Definition
Compulsive liar is defined as someone who keeps lying out of habit. Lying is their normal reflexive way of reacting to questions. They feel comfortable lying and will at ease when speaking the truth. It is seen that compulsive lying disorder symptoms develop during childhood, when they needed to speak lie out of necessity. Compulsive liars are not manipulative and cunning like pathological liars. The symptoms of a pathological liar are different from a compulsive liar. Pathological liars lie to achieve their goals without caring a bit about hurting the feelings of others. Whereas, for compulsive liars it is an automatic response to any situation. Compulsive liars are also referred to as habitual or chronic liars. Compulsive lying disorder is a type of obsessive compulsive disorder. Know more on obsessive compulsive personality disorder.

Compulsive liar disorder is like an addiction to many people, just as smoking and drug abuse. As a chronic smoker or an alcoholic needs help, similarly obsessive compulsive lying disorder also requires help. If you know someone or think someone you know maybe a compulsive liar, then do not avoid the situation. You should win over their confidence and convince them to seek help. Compulsive lying disorder in children is one disorder that every parent should watch out for. All children lie and tend to twist and turn the events occurred, exaggerating the whole story. This is a normal behavior for all children with their vivid power of imagination. Lying becomes a matter of concern when the child lies for no apparent reason. This makes the parents distrustful of their children and in turn the children become more unruly, lying continuously. It is very important to identify obsessive compulsive lying disorder in children during the early stages, to help the child overcome this personality disorder.

Compulsive Lying Symptoms
It is not easy to spot compulsive liar symptoms, as the lies are many times too subtle to catch ones eye or these compulsive liars are very skillful in presenting their lies. Compulsive liar symptoms become apparent mostly to the near and dear ones of the compulsive liar. Things begin to open up when close ones can easily spot the lies from the truth. The compulsive liar symptoms are as follows:

• Attention Seekers: There are certain people who need to be the center of attraction where ever they go. In order to maintain their high popularity rate, they begin to build up attention seeking white lies. These lies soon become a part of their personalities and they never find it necessary to shrug off the harmless lies.
• Create Stories: Creating stories of valor and great deeds about oneself all the time, is a compulsive liar symptom. They make up such great stories about themselves, that they loose their charm once the cat is out of the bag. For example, someone claims to have fought a bloody fight with a goon at the local bar, when actually he is known to get scared or has even fainted at the sight of blood.
• Covering Up: When a compulsive liar gets caught in his lies, he will cook up another story of how he is falsely accused or will deny it totally with another story to back up his claim of innocence.
• Same Story, Different Characters: Plagiarism becomes another part of obsessive compulsive liar symptoms. One may not realize mentioning the same lie to the same person, more than once. Each time he says the same lie, the basic concept remains the same, only the characters, place, date of occurrence, etc. may change.
• Poor Self Esteem: The hallmark of compulsive liar disorder symptom is low self esteem. An inferiority complex forces the person to make up stories, that makes him/her feel worthy and appreciated.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): This is mostly apparent in compulsive lying disorder in children. Even adults suffering from ADHD with impulsive behavior, exhibit compulsive lying symptoms.
• Bipolar Disorder: People suffering from a bipolar disorder are always suffering from mood swings, that range from depression to a manic behavior. During this period, their impulsive behavior is switched on, that forces them to lie through their nose.
• Other Addictions: Drug addicts, alcoholics, gamblers, etc. who are into similar activities that causes them to fall into trouble more than often, may exhibit compulsive liar disorder. They may keep lying to help themselves out of sticky situations, get out of financial mess, hide the truth about themselves, from their family and friends.
• Reality Denial: People who are unable to face the truth or unable to admit truth are true compulsive liars. They may turn on a elaborate emotional display that takes the attention away from their lies. Know more on signs of compulsive lying.

Compulsive Liar Test
There are no specific tests to find a compulsive liar. You need to watch out for the above symptoms to be sure of an obsessive compulsive lying disorder. There is one such compulsive liar test that can help confirm compulsive liar symptoms. This compulsive liar test is a polygraph test. Also known as the lie detector test, it helps measure the physiological responses to the series of questions asked. These responses help determine compulsive liar symptoms.

On the personal level, you may check some signs, as a compulsive liar test. If the person forces or fakes a smile while speaking, tends to give too much detail, sweats a lot even when the climate is cool, breaks off eye contact or has a strange body language, these all indicate towards compulsive lying disorder. Know more on personality disorder test.

Treatment for Compulsive Lying Disorder
Compulsive liar syndrome is mainly due to some underlying mental illness. Some people lie as they can't help saying anything otherwise, some lie to manipulate others, or few lie to get a thrill out of pulling a fast one on someone. As mentioned before, low self esteem may force them to lie to help them raise their confidence. People in constant mode of denial also turn out to be patients of compulsive liar syndrome.

There are many patients of compulsive liar disorder, that do not have any other psychiatric or psychological problem. They may just lie to make themselves look better or love to make elaborate stories. The compulsive liar treatment involves seeking help of a counselor and talking about the reasons for obsessive compulsive lying. The counselor may ask the patient to practice telling the truth with the help of role-playing. The counselor may give the compulsive liar a homework of resiting the urge to say a lie certain number of times, till they meet for the next session. The person may have to report how well he had controlled himself and this slowly helps him break the habit.

Compulsive lying disorder treatment cannot be forced onto a person. Seeking treatment of compulsive lying disorder needs to be a voluntary decision because a compulsive liar is already in denial mode, that made him lie constantly. If forced into a compulsive liar treatment, the person won't believe he has a problem, thus, rendering the treatment ineffective. The main object of compulsive lying disorder treatment is behavior modification, that cannot be successful if the person is not willing to change. The person may end up lying to the therapist about overcoming the habit and get no benefit out of it. Know more on cognitive behavioral therapy.

It is a very difficult situation to handle, when you know someone with compulsive liar symptoms. You cannot avoid the person when the person is your spouse, child, parent or sibling. At the most, you can just humor what they say and not give any weight to their lies. Do not react to their lies. This may help discourage them to say more lies about themselves. You may calmly explain the problem to the person and help them face the truth. Support the person who is undergoing a treatment for compulsive lying disorder. It may so happen, that the person overcomes the compulsive lying syndrome. Or you may never see any changes at all. If you feel you too are suffering from obsessive compulsive lying disorder, seek help immediately. It may help you save your rocking relationship with your near ones and improve your personal and professional life. Remember, when you start controlling compulsive liar symptoms, you begin getting a hold onto your life.