
A pathological liar has an end game in mind and will stop at nothing to reach their goal.

This article, with inputs from a psychologist, explores pathological lying and shares some tips that can help you cope with a person in your life who lies pathologically. People who have this illness frequently say things they know they shouldnt, as theyre unable to. A pathological liar is someone who has no control over their lying, according to Daramus. A compulsive liar cannot help themselves and does it out of habit. A compulsive liar is someone who always feels the need to distort the truth and tell lies. While these two terms for lying tend to be used in an interchangeable fashion, in reality, they could not be more different. They have no regard for the world around them and will become very defensive when they are confronted about their dishonesty. They also don’t tend to believe their own lies.Ĭonversely, a pathological liar lies so much and so often that they often begin to believe their own lies.
#Definition of compulsive liar vs pathological liar how to
If they had any inkling as to how to fix the behavior, they gladly would. It is important to note that the main contrast between a pathological liar and a compulsive liar is that a compulsive liar is usually very remorseful and knows what they are doing is wrong. They know that they are lying and it does not bother them in the slightest. They will lie to close friends, family members, anyone who stands in the way of what they truly want. They lie with a specific goal in mind and they do not care who they step over to get to it. They know how to manipulate those around them so that they can get their way. They lie for personal gain and they see nothing wrong with their actions. On the other hand, a pathological liar is far more cunning and crafty. Being placed in childhood situations where lying is necessary is thought to be one of the root causes of compulsive lying. Pathological liar lies incessantly to get their way and does so with little awareness. This is not done to hurt anyone else, it is done to protect themselves. For these people, telling the truth is not preferable, they would rather lie. They are typically well aware of the fact that they are lying, but are often powerless to make any sort of change in their life. For those who are compulsive liars, lying is simply a reflex, it is their default way of associating with the world.Ī compulsive liar does not lie for personal gain and they are not known to be especially manipulative. After all, the compulsive liar doesn't care whether people believe them, they just want to lie. They know that they are lying and it does not bother them in the slightest. Usually this is characteristic by lies that are patently absurd or clearly falsified. It is such a deeply ingrained habit, one that was likely formed during childhood, that lying simply feels comfortable to them than telling the truth. A compulsive liar lies as a coping mechanism- when stressed or anxious, they lie. Someone who lies out of compulsion is a person who cannot keep themselves from lying.

Let’s take a closer look at the two forms of liar. But did you know that there are different types of lying? The difference between a pathological liar and someone who lies out of compulsion is vast. There is a good chance you either know a liar very well or know someone who does. Their lies often appear to spring forth without any perceptible motive.Liars are an unfortunate part of our daily existence. Importantly, he, like Hall, noted that pathological liars do not always seem to have a tangible goal that their lies are tied to. He described a condition he called pseudologia phantastica, which roughly translates to fantastical lying. Delbrück wrote about the woman and four other cases in a book he published in 1891. She was brought in for psychiatric evaluation after using a disguise to pass herself off as a man while attending an educational institution. For instance, one was a woman who traveled through Austria and Switzerland using boastful and imaginative deception to convince people at various times that she was a Spanish royal, a Romanian princess, the affluent friend of a bishop, and an impoverished medical student.

He had a handful of patients who exhibited an unusual pattern of pervasive dishonesty.

The highly-regarded German psychiatrist, Anton Delbrück, worked at several insane asylums in Europe. He noted that while the lies may start off in the service goals such as attention, thrills, or material gain, pathological liars can, in a sense, lose themselves in their lies and begin to tell lies that offer no obvious incentives.Īcross the Atlantic at the same time, another researcher was tackling the concept of pathological lying. The term he used for this insane tendency to lie was pseudomania.
