There are certain people who lie much more than others. I guess you can call it pathological. Well, there are ways to spot them as well.
They say that every one of us lies at some point or the other. I believe that’s true. I know I can tell lies if I need to, but mostly to protect someone I love or when I feel like I am in danger, you know, that sort of thing. But there are people who lie as easily as they breathe. In fact, if they couldn’t lie, I believe they might explode.
Well, I guess I’m a little dramatic, but I can let you in on another little secret about them. A liar sometimes believes their own lies as well. Lies become a part of their life and mold their opposing facts right into the fibs they tell. It is astonishing to watch a liar at work, and if you know someone like this, you understand exactly what I’m talking about.
These are the liars in your life
Now, it’s not just anybody that lies like this. People who lie as easily as they breathe are usually certain types of people. They stand out, usually stricken with mental or personality disorders. But then there are those particular ones who hide their disorders and hide them quite well. It could take years to discover the caliber of their dysfunctional behavior and the quantity of lie they tell. Here are the people who are more prone to live a lie.
The Psychopath
Do you know someone who is a psychopath? Maybe you don’t know what that is exactly. Well, a psychopath is not necessarily someone who is violent. A psychopathic person can be someone who is charming and lives a seemingly normal life. Unless you are close to them, you would probably never suspect that anything was off, but it’s quite the opposite.
A psychopath is one of the worst liars around because everything they do is built upon deception. They have little empathy and work their charm toward getting everything they desire at the expense of your safety or feelings. Lies are second nature to the psychopath, who would rather lie to gain superiority than telling the truth to help others.
Extroverts
Ah, surprised aren’t you? Did you know that the extrovert is prone to lie much more than the introvert? There is a rather simple explanation for this. The extrovert is a social creature and most social engagements call for lies of some sort.
In fact, social events go smoother when “little white lies” are told. Think about it, considering extroverts are always around other people, they have more opportunities to lie.
Social groups mean situations and situations mean more reasons to lie to save feelings and reduce confrontations. Some extroverts, considering their environments, will begin to lie just as easily as they breathe, and after some time will also start to believe the lies they tell.
It’s about status and it’s about peer pressure. These things can create monsters out of people who simply want to have a high quantity of friends. It’s a sad truth, but a truth none-the-less.
Narcissists
It’s probably no surprise that the narcissist is prone to a high volume of lying. Considering their personality traits are living for attention, lying, lacking empathy, and playing the blame game, the narcissist’s nature is to do anything to retain a certain identity.
The reason why the narcissist struggles in these areas are because of the emptiness they have inside. The true identity of the narcissist is so deeply buried that they have created a false life built around what they wished they were.
They strive for attention in order to retain this false identity, just as they lie and fail to have empathy for others. When others begin to see through this façade, the narcissist will become angry and their lying will escalate. Unfortunately, most narcissists never change and they will always be people who lie.
The sociopath
There are few differences between the psychopath and the sociopath, but there are differences. While the sociopath has few regrets about their actions and little empathy, the psychopath has none. The psychopath can easily be charming while the sociopath will exhibit outbursts of anger and open disdain for other people.
Although the sociopath may be easier to spot, their lies will still be as cunning as ever. If you fail to anger them, you will also be deceived. They live and breathe lies as long as they can retain a calm demeanor. Otherwise, these pathological lies will dissolves, which is a good thing.
The pathological liar
Sometimes, you don’t even have to be psychotic or narcissistic to live a life of perpetual lies. A pathological liar will seem just as normal as anyone else until you catch them in a lie. But no matter how hard you try, the pathological liar will not admit to the lie, and if you think it’s an isolated incident, think again.
Not only with the pathological liar deny the fib until their last breath, but they will also lie about anything and everything. Even when there is no reason to lie, they will lie for fun. They really enjoy this and find it just as hard to tell the truth as it would be to conquer the world.
Young adults
Did you know that young adults are prone to lie at an alarming rate? If you think about it, it makes sense. Especially those in college, they are prone to lie easily and lie about things that don’t even matter. Statistics show that the older you get, the less prone you are to lying which also supports this theory.
So, who do they lie to? Well, young adults lie to their friends, but they tell the larger, more hurtful lies to their families and loved ones.
Usually, this is used to get what they want in times of need or to stay out of trouble, which makes sense, considering the older you get, the more self-sufficient you become and the less need for lying.
Salesmen
Now, this should be easy to understand for most of us, but let me break it down for you in a more personal manner. I was in sales for many years – I sold beauty products, health products, and intimate products as well. I was taught to lie all the time in order to sell my products.
My superiors told me to say things like, “the product is the best and is proven to work.” I was also instructed to lie about how I had used the product and how much I loved it, which in most cases, I had not and I did not love the product.
So, being a saleswoman, I lied every day. I also lied about why the prices were high and why there was such a high price for shipping and handling on each purchase. I lied and lied and lied until I believed everything that was coming out of my mouth.
Eventually, I stopped doing this line of work, because I just couldn’t lie to them anymore. Salesmen do lie, sometimes just as much as psychopaths, and sometimes, they become those personalities and disorders.
Do you know people who lie?
Well, of course, you do. I bet, if you aren’t that prone to lying, you see a big liar every day. Maybe you see them at the gym, at the market, or even at your workplace – well, of course, they are in the workplace, they swarm there.
Everyone lies, but people who lie as easily as they breathe are dangerous and you should be aware of their presence at all times. Because if they can lie this easily, then your feelings and well-being won’t be a high concern for them.
Watch out for these liars and practice being an honest and loyal person. You will be proud you did.
References:
I’ve read studies that say men lie about 25 to 35 per cent more than women. Both lie most saying they ‘feel fine’. Dark personalities aside, in my personal experience women seem to lie more about feelings meaning themselves or for others, men lie more about cover up or personal enhancement. They are great storytellers which in turn gets them in lie trouble with both men and women. Must be the testosterone.
Don,
Unfortunately, we all lie. I saw a TED talks about this subject a few months ago which stated this. I cannot remember the speaker’s name, but she said, “We all lie, it’s just the quantity and the reason that’s noted.” I could be misquoting her a bit, but basically, it’s our motives for telling these lies. Yes, I have also noted that more of the men that I have known lie than the women. This could just be the ones I happen to know, this area, whatever group of people etc. I am not sure of the raw statistics but it’s interesting, no doubt.
Modern society seems to be built on a foundation of lies with a shadow made up of ego. I prefer the hard truth and not to lie to “protect someones feelings” unless it is context specific.
Also Sherrie, here’s a hug for you. 🙂
Thank you for reading, Sakib. 🙂
My husband is a case like that,he’s really liars with everything even if I catch him with my own eyes he will still tell u a liar wanna make u look stupid,I guess u just have to stay away from people like that since they don’t want to change it,if they not willing to change it than it’s not worth your time
Yeah, my father is a mix breed of things on here. Liar – abuser – blames. Like he stole over 50,000 dollars and committed adultery with my mom and justified it – lied about who he was to this other girl that he was an aerospace engineer and that mom my used him. Even though he worked a basic job and took all my moms paychecks and made it seem to others he was this loving person with cash flow.
He did not pay rent for 6 months and when the owners came for their money he ran off and hid while my mom who knew nothing – was sent to court in tears. Thankfully the owners found out the true reason and dropped the charges that was close to 9000 dollars.
even after that he still attacked my mom saying he was done wrong. As his son he was very abusive too me as a child and i ended up getting a nervous tick in my eyes. I was the target of his anger throughout my childhood and my mom was a face to hit.
In my teens I had no respect for him anymore and ended up becoming like him with anger – I hated him and as I grew older I realized I was becoming a Narcissist. The world owed me love and respect. Though one day I found Christ and forgave him and wow, the peace I felt was unreal. I felt empowered and full of life. I was able to end my Narcissistic ways on a dime and move forward with love for others.
The power of faith and forgiveness is no joke!
I’ve been dealing with a dad who is a mix bag of these too. I recently caught him on the phone lying about me to someone for no reason at all. My mom worked with cancer while he stayed home with his fake ailments. When he runs low on medical problems the add and ptsd are always present to talk about. This person will lie to use you and bleed you dry of all your confidence and self worth. I relocated him to Floria after my mom died. Last year he spent 80k on his new girlfriend and was having sex within 45 days after my mom died in her bed. I had to wait until after his dates were over to go over and work on his benefits. He told his new girlfriend in Florida that I stole 100k from him in order to cover his own misdeeds for having less than he thought he should with this woman. Everything is calculated and dishonest. I paid cash for his condo with my moms money and he convinced me to sign it over and sold the next month for a 50k profit. I am better off free from him than being tied to property so I don’t care about that money.
I lie all the time
i lie to my wife and i dont know why
some of the things i say when i lie are so stupid,
I also lie to myself all the time and i cant figure out why
please help me
Are you my husband?
I am ridiculously honest. I work in fashion and although we can be direct i.e The Devil Wears Prada at least it is honest (actually I am much more tactful now), however I have started dating a man who lies all the time even when his multiple answers to the same question have been directed at me. What I cannot work out is whether he remembers what he has said (he always says it must have been a misunderstanding and he knows it isn’t because he answers the question – just not honestly!) On numerous occasions he has been caught out and still lies right at me even when I am relaying all the different answers, he has given me. We get on brilliantly and have chemistry through the roof so I can’t understand why two very confident people can’t be honest with one another? Is it an ego thing or a fear of that person’s disapproval. He is an only child so I don’t know if that is a factor…
My husband lies about everything, caught him on our security cameras telling his mate that I had said something unsavory about his mate, which was a total fabrication. I now know why his mate displays hostile behavior towards me. I can’t imagine what my husband gains from that. He also lies about his betting accounts, bank accounts, he has cheated on me and lied to those women making me the monster in order to justify his cheating. He creates arguments then plays the victim, the list is endless
He lies to his sister about me, making me out to be not very nice and he does all the work when in fact we all carry him as he is incredibly lazy disorganized and leaves everything to the last minute then we all have to drop what we are doing to get him through the work.
Glad I’m not alone. I’ve been trapped and swindled for 6 months by my moms husband. It’s a really sick feeling that i trusted my mom and she is clearly the enabler of her husbands lies which have cost me alot of money.
This man is also a compulsive gambler amongst the traits of narcissism and psychotic behavior. I feel truly in hell having found that this husband has my mom impersonating his dead mother whom he obtained power of attorney before she died.
People lie because they have no respect for God.
I am a good Christian and I don’t lie but someone who I thought was a good christian has said I said something that is not true. My boss believes me but I am now wondering what their motivation was to do this especially as they waited two weeks before saying anything. This has now compromised my being able to care for this person’s wife who I might add has said how amazing I am with her. I am also confused as to why he didn’t say anything at the time of the alleged something being said. (He said I told his grandkids to shut up when they were noisy) I would never say that as I am too respectful when in another person’s home. Any thoughts anyone