Pathological Liar

Pathological liars are individuals characterized by the behavior of uncontrollable lying. Also referred to as pseudologia fantastica or mythomania in psychology, pathological lying is a condition wherein the person is obsessed with habitual lying. Very often, it gives a feel that the person is suffering from some disorder which makes him lie continuously, without any personal gains. The habit of lying becomes an integral part of his behavior, to such an extent that the person continues to lie, even when he knows that this lie may put him in some sort of danger. At times, pathological lying is associated with compulsive lying disorder, but both of them are slightly different from each other.

Pathological Lying: Disorder or Symptom
As of now, there has been no consensus among the psychiatry fraternity about treating pathological lying as a disorder or a symptom. Some psychiatrists suggest that the condition in itself may be a symptom of other psychological conditions, such as antisocial personality disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder. Although the exact cause of pathological lying has not been determined, a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, suggested that the brain of pathological liars slightly differs from the brain of people inclined towards speaking the truth. It revealed that the white matter in the prefrontal cortex of the brain in pathological liars was 26 percent more as compared to the same on an average human. The study also highlighted that the white matter in the brain is associated with an individuals ability to lie.

Pathological Liar Symptoms
Basic observation skills and knowledge about the common symptoms of pathological lying, can help you in identifying pathological liars around you with immense ease. Observation skills are developed with time and practice, while the symptoms generally observed in pathological liars are given below:

• Pathological liars quite often tend to exaggerate things
• They talk about things in a broader perspective
• They change their stories frequently
• In many cases, their second story in itself has a proof that the first one was a lie
• They tend to go on a back-foot if you start cross examining them
• They tend to use implausible sentences while communicating
• They quite often get threatened when you question them, or their motives
• They change topics during conversation quite often

Pathological lying is, at times, also associated with substance abuse, as once the person gets used to some addiction, he can't help but lie to get going with it. In some pathological liars, these symptoms are quite obvious and hence, it becomes quite easy to identify them, but in some, it may take a while for you, before you even realize that the person is lying.

Pathological Liar Treatment
The treatment options for pathological lying are limited, owing to the lack of authentic information about the condition. Psychiatrists assume that the problem is related to some underlying disorder or addiction, and attending to these problems may help the person to get rid of the habit of lying. The treatment methods recommended for treating pathological lying includes medication, psychotherapy or a combination of both. Medications mostly used in this case include antidepressants or antipsychotics. On the other hand, the most popular form of psychotherapy used to treat habitual lying is cognitive behavioral therapy. The combination of medication and psychotherapy is considered to be the most effective method of treatment.

Confronting a person suffering from a condition like pathological liar disorder is not a wise idea, as that will prompt the person to take a defensive stance, and thus, make the diagnosis of the problem a bit difficult. You can provide support to a person suffering from this condition to some extent, however, the end result will always depend on the persons willingness to get rid of this habit.