Compulsive Lying – Causes, Treatment and Prevention

Compulsive lying is called pseudologia phantastica in medicine. The terms “Munchausen syndrome” and “impostor” are also common. Affected patients suffer from an extreme form of lying. It is a morbid compulsion to tell made-up stories and falsify the facts. The content of the lies is a mixture of reality and invention. The technical term pseudologia phantastica was first used in 1871 by Professor Dr. A Delbrück used. Patients who lie compulsively tell stories that are not improbable and have a kernel of truth.

Victims keep up their tall tales for a long period of time. The invented stories are not told for personal gain, but lead to the well-being of those affected. A distinguishing feature of compulsive lying from delusion is that the patents can admit the untruth. They know they’re lying.

causes

From the perspective of psychoanalysis, compulsive lying is a defense mechanism. The made-up stories often contain the part that is supposed to be repelled by the lie. Lying is provoked by oppressive feelings such as fear and shame. Other reasons for lying include loneliness, isolation, and feelings of inferiority. Pseudologia phantastica begins in childhood. Complex obsessive-compulsive disorder develops during adolescence.Those affected cannot cope with reality and their experiences. They try to escape this overwhelming situation by making up stories. When someone has experienced a traumatic event, compulsive lying is one way to deal with that experience. An affected person who despises publicly prevailing ideals and values ​​wards off his longing for an idealizable parent figure.

Childhood rejection triggers a narcissistic tension within the patient. Also associated with this trauma are emerging shame and hypochondria. Affected people feel validated by their own actions. Because they feel proud because they are able to influence their fellow human beings with their stories. This strengthens their self-esteem. The emptiness and self-doubt that prevail in him are compensated for by the lies.

Diseases

• mental disorder

• trauma (psychic)

• anxiety disorders

• obsessive compulsive disorder

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder

• Hypochondria

• Depression

When to the doctor?

If a person is suffering from compulsive lying, a doctor should definitely be consulted. In this case, we are dealing with a very serious mental condition that must be treated by a psychologist. It is usually not possible to treat compulsive lying at home. Many sessions with a psychologist are often necessary for this, and in some cases patients are also committed to a closed institution if they pose a danger to themselves or to other people.

In most cases, treatment is carried out by talking to a therapist and taking medication. However, it usually takes a few months for compulsive lying to heal completely. Social contacts are often affected as a result of the symptom, so that there can also be social problems and exclusion, which leads to depression.

Therefore, compulsive lying must always be evaluated and treated by a doctor. This is especially true when the affected person cannot admit to themselves that they are suffering from this symptom. If the symptom is not treated, it can lead to serious psychological problems.

diagnosis and course

The Pseudologia phantastica is still quite unexplored. There is hardly any specialist literature or case numbers. Compulsive lying is rarely diagnosed clinically. Research institutes do not classify compulsive lying as an independent psychological phenomenon. Therefore Pseudologia phantastica is integrated into the classification of narcissistic personality disorders. The main characteristics include a strong acting ability, a good memory and a very good verbal expression.

Diagnosing notorious lying is difficult because the tall tales are not lofty or unrealistic. But there are indications of whether someone is lying compulsively. Pathological liars like to present themselves as victims or relatives of victims. You claim to be suffering from a serious illness, to be a survivor of a natural disaster, an attack or something similar.

Their compulsive lies also include fabricated doctoral degrees or family relationships with celebrities. But notorious liars are asked about the events they have told, and their statements contradict the facts. Those affected respond to specific questions by avoiding them. Her stories contain contradictions in terms of chronology and content. As the disease progresses, those affected spin their web of lies. They continue to build and maintain their stories.

complications

Compulsive lying usually leads to severe social and psychological complications. Above all, lying has a negative effect on relationships with friends, relatives or even your own partner. Here friendships can be ended, which continues to have a negative effect on the psychological situation of the patient. In many cases, the person concerned can no longer distinguish which events are false and which are not. This leads to general sobriety, headaches and severe depression. In rare cases, this can lead to suicidal thoughts and in the worst case to suicide.

As a rule, it is no longer easy for the patient to go to work. Treatment is usually with a psychologist with the help of conversations. However, it can also be supported by medication. Whether the treatment will lead to success cannot be universally predicted. In some cases, the patient must also be admitted to a closed clinic if there is a complete loss of reality. Psychotropic drugs can cause mood swings, headaches and general fatigue .

treatment and therapy

Compulsive lying is a psychopathological phenomenon. The only way to treat it is through psychotherapy . However, since the Pseudologia phantastica is not seen as an independent disease but as an accompanying symptom, the therapy is aimed at the underlying mental disorder. Therapy against compulsive lying is particularly difficult for the psychotherapist, since patients often lie during the session. It is therefore time-consuming to create a basis of trust between therapists and those affected. First, the person concerned must make it clear that they want to stop lying. Psychotherapy will only come about on your own initiative.

Affected people usually do not feel any strong suffering from their lies. Therefore, one of the therapist’s tasks is to build the patient’s motivation. Once motivated, the patient should be empowered. His self should stabilize. When the psyche is stable, lying will decrease. Because the compulsive lying is an expression of the insecurity and the defense that are bridged in this way.

In addition to strengthening, the development of alternative ways of acting and thinking is also important for successful treatment. Those affected must learn what consequences their lies can have. Reflecting on answers and stories is also addressed in the treatment. By taking the time to consider their stories, patients are encouraged to skip the lie and answer honestly.

prevention

The prevention of compulsive lying is difficult to achieve. Because the causes of notorious lying often begin in childhood and are signs of trauma or neglect. In order to prevent the outbreak of pseudologia phantastica, a person must be mentally balanced. That means loneliness, isolation and feelings of inferiority must be eliminated. The best way to do this is to confide in someone.Psychotherapeutic treatment is already recommended at this point. Because trauma and depressive moods can be worked through with a trained therapist. Together we can work out a way of dealing with the stressful feelings. Early therapy is the outlet that those affected need to deal with their depressing experiences. Instead of the notorious lying as a defense system, all real events can be discussed during the therapeutic conversation. The trauma is being dealt with.