Pathological liars
Lying is the act of making a false statement.[4] Most people do so out of fear.[5] Pathological lying is considered a mental illness, because it takes over rational judgement and progresses into the fantasy world and back.[6]
Excessive lying is a common symptom of several mental illnesses. For instance people who suffer from antisocial personality disorder use lying to benefit from others. Some individuals with borderline personality disorder lie for attention by claiming they’ve been treated poorly.[7] Pathological lying, on the other hand, can be described as an addiction to lying. It is when an individual consistently lies for no personal gain. The lies are commonly transparent and often seem rather pointless.[8]
There are many consequences of being a pathological liar. Due to lack of trust, most pathological liar's relationships and friendships fail. If the disease continues to progress, lying could become so severe as to cause legal problems, including but not limited to fraud.[9]
Psychotherapy appears to be one of the only methods to treat a person suffering from pathological lying. There has been no research done regarding the use of pharmaceutical medication to treat pathological liars.[10] Some research suggests that certain people may have a “predisposition to lying”.[11]
Pathological lying is a complex phenomenon, differing from other mental illnesses. It has many life-changing consequences for those that have to live with the illness. Currently, there is not enough research in the area of pathological lying to guarantee a cure.[