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The lies are not about you
6 Signs You Are Dealing With a Pathological Liar
When lying stops being a choice and becomes a way of life
Everyone lies. Research on deception shows that the average person tells a few lies a day, most of them small and designed to protect feelings or avoid minor consequences. You tell a friend you love the gift they gave you. You say you are fine when you are not. You tell your boss you were stuck in traffic when you actually overslept. These are normal, everyday lies that serve a social purpose and cause little harm.
Pathological lying operates on an entirely different level. Psychiatrists describe it as a pattern of falsification that is disproportionate to any discernible goal, extensive, and often lasting years or a lifetime. The person lies without clear benefit to themselves, sometimes in ways that actively harm their relationships, careers, and reputations. They lie when the truth would serve them better. They lie when there is nothing to gain. The lying has become compulsive, and for some, the lies have become so deeply woven into their identity that they can no longer tell the difference between what is real and what they have invented.
Here are six signs that what you are dealing with goes beyond ordinary dishonesty.
