I know someone that lies and lies and lies. Could it be because they are deeply depressed. They went to the doctor and they doc said "stop lying"! They seem to lie about everything, and not intentionally, they just slip out, its like the truth is never good enough for then to say. I want to try and help them cos they opened up to me once, and they hate what they do, but just can't stop???
What should i do to help???
2006-09-05 05:00:34 · 32 answers · asked by onza_mop 1 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
they are called pathological liars, they should see a psychiatrist.
2006-09-05 05:03:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
My brother is a compulsive liar. He cannot tell the truth, and when he does, no one believes him then either. I have (in past mind you) made up a story about him and I once about something that we did / said that was an outright lie just to see what he'd say and he said he remembered everything as exactly like I told him. It was a story and even he can't recognize a lie either because everything that comes out his mouth is one fabrication after another so is every other facet of his life. Sad really.
So, unless this person you know really does want to stop, then neither you nor any doctor can help them. And people lie because they feel their original story is just too boring to tell without embellishment. They only way to stop your friend from lying is to continually tell them to stop, tell the truth and hopefully that'll put an end to it. If not, tell them that unless the lying ends, your friendship will.
2006-09-05 05:10:05 · answer #2 · answered by GirlinNB 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dated one. Im not sure you can help someone like that because they truly believe their own lies. This guy couldn't keep up with anything he said, such as what he did today, or what he had for lunch. The stories seem to get bigger and better as the day went on and the lunches would go from having taco's to lobster, in a matter of hours. He worked at a auto sales place and would supposedly own a new car every week. He even drove me past his work place, which I later found out he never worked, claimed to have full custody of a kid he never had around and so on. I still see him out occassionally and just laugh....
2006-09-05 05:20:42 · answer #3 · answered by Answer Me This 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, there is. I was once married to one. She would actually tell me something she wanted to be true and would say, "It's the truth I know it is I was there" But I was there also as well as maybe a couple other folks in the crowd and we knew what she was telling was not the truth. It seemed as though she wanted the situation to change from what it had been to be what she wanted it to be and that by telling a lie it would be different. It at first was embarrassing to go anywhere with her because everyone knew she lied. But in time everyone came to understand she wasn't lying because she wanted to but because it was something she did compulsively. Let no one convince you that there is no such thing as a compulsive liar. Each of us is entitled to our opinion. But I know from personal experience that they do exist..
2006-09-05 05:13:03 · answer #4 · answered by john h 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, there is such a thing as a compulsive liar. They need psychiatric help. Tell them you are taking them to the fair, but drop them off at a psychiatrist. That will show them how it feels to be lied to.
2006-09-05 05:03:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes
My ex husband (the second one) comes from a culture where they open their mouth and what comes out is the best for them regardless of the facts or a little thing like the truth.
eg he was so desperate for an English wife that he added two years to his age as he thought I would not want him because he is seven years younger than me. It took me over a year to find that one out. I even saw his birth certificate and queried the year on it and he had a plausible reason for it being wrong!
As to what you can do to help this person; gently remind them of the real world out there when needed.
2006-09-09 04:30:05 · answer #6 · answered by Amanda K 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes my ex boyfriend used to lie constantly and make up fantasies and yes he was depressed, he did see a counsellor for depression though he still lies alot, i have nothing to do with him now, some people you just can't help. But maybe counselling will help for your friend to find out why he keeps lying and address the problem?
2006-09-05 05:07:48 · answer #7 · answered by brownsuga 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To lie or tell the truth is a choice. Sometimes people get so used to telling lies that it seems like the truth to them. People usually lie out of selfishness - to cover something up, to make themselves look good etc.
2006-09-09 05:01:29 · answer #8 · answered by Jules 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This person definitely is a compulsive liar! There's nothing you can do. It's a mindset that has to be consciously overcome and it has to come from that person or how could you ever trust them in anything?
You said, your friend saw a doctor right? What good did this do? Is you friend still lying? If so then he/she needs to go again and get help. You can't make your friend stop lying, it has to begin with him/her helping themselves if they really want to stop this destructive pattern in their lives.
2006-09-05 05:57:37 · answer #9 · answered by December Princess 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They feel they are not good enough, so they make things up to fill the void they believe is real. They have low self-esteem. Do what comes to mind. You are close to them and know more about this than probably anyone. You are creative enough to think to come here to ask for advise so I think you can be creative and helpful with them, just trust yourself and bounce this off your parents or someone you know you can trust, just like this person has done with you. Good luck
2006-09-05 05:07:20 · answer #10 · answered by Scott 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends what they lie about, I used to know someone who lied about his background and his family and his job etc, basically he was ashamed of his reality. People lie for all sorts of reasons. Shock value, covering up bad behaviour, inferiority complex etc. You need to find out the reason for the lying before they can stop.
2006-09-05 05:04:55 · answer #11 · answered by sarkyastic31 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋