The Pathological Liar: A scientific term that can ruin our lives

Truth is like a surgery. It hurts but it cures. Lie is like a pain killer. It gives instant relief but has side effects forever. But what happens to someone who is compelled to lie every time a difficult situation arises in front of him/her? A Pathological liar is someone who lies out of compulsion or habit. There is no gain or benefit from the lie, neither in the short run nor in the long run. There is also no fear of the truth. It is just a plain and simple habit. This article is dedicated to a really close friend of mine, who suffers from the same problem of making lying his habit for every difficult moment that comes in his life. I would like to think that writing this article will help him understand the long-term effects of lying on everyone in his life. But life isn’t that simple, is it? It is not only understanding how everyone else is impacted but also how he or anyone in that situation plans to make an effort to change it. Pathological Lying normally stems from a childhood of small lies developing into bigger ones and this form of lying can really become addictive just like other escapes from discomfort (alcohol, drugs etc.) which leads to a world of lack of happiness and trust in the long run both for the liar and his or her loved ones. Unlike sociopaths, compulsive liars aren’t in anyway manipulative or have an ulterior purpose to get what they want but rather they just lie out of habit. Sometimes, it is also believed that Pathological lying is done by people to make their lives seem more exciting and thrilling because they think telling the truth is easy and simple and maybe even boring, which in reality, we know is the opposite. Telling the truth is much harder and requires a lot of courage and confidence not only in yourself but in the ones you love as well. My friend, although does not do this for excitement, is definitely lacking in confidence when it comes to facing up to his mistakes and faults, which is one of the worst possible feelings to have as a human. The other issue stems from the epiphany that although he loves and respects his parents very much, showing that confidence and love has always been his mental weakness which is why he lies to escape into his fantasy world, which as said, has lasting repercussions on not only him, but his family as well. Many modern psychologists and articles say that the most common form of dealing with pathological lying is therapy and counseling, but the fact of the matter is, no amount of this will work unless the want to change comes from within. You can have people sit in front of you and tell you what you are doing is wrong and you may even realize it, but the change will never come unless it is from you. The one way I can think of is by starting to eliminate the big lies completely from your life. When you think you are about to lie, do not open your mouth then but instead you can start taking a deep breath and count in your mind till you feel you can tell the truth and then only stop counting. The other way is do some basic yoga exercises every day in the morning because yoga has always proven to give a person a clear and precise mind and a person who knows what to think and say does not need to lie at all in the long run. Once you eliminate the big lies from your life, the small lies will automatically go away because you yourself will feel content in telling the truth, and that time, it will actually be easier to tell the truth. Normally people say it is the small lies you should eliminate first then the big ones, but I believe that the opposite is a more effective way of ending the cycle because big lies have a more significant and lasting impact on our lives and when we eliminate or do what is more difficult, then the other tasks seem much easier in life. Will Smith, known as “The most powerful actor in hollywood,” is someone whose words and wisdom are known and admired by almost everyone. He says, “Isn’t it ironic? We ignore the ones that adore us. Adore the ones who ignore us. Love the ones who hurt us. Hurt the ones who love us.”
