THE LIAR: PROTECT YOURSELF OR LIVE WITH THEM?

FROM DIAGNOSIS TO TREATMENT

Most people lie occasionally, ranging from small lies to deliberate omissions, which is quite “natural.”

But lying can become a problem, even a danger, when dishonesty threatens relationships, becomes frequent, or lacks a clear reason.

The “compulsive” liar is someone who lies out of habit, distorting the truth about everything, big or small.

The “pathological” liar, on the other hand, has mental disorders; their dishonesty is directed towards a goal, either to harm or to gain advantages.

TYPES OF LIARS

1- The Natural Liar

Here, lying is unofficial, tacit, almost cultural: it aims to protect oneself, or conversely, to protect the other person, to do them a service, not to hurt them, not to shock them.

The most obvious lie is, for example, the one intended to facilitate daily life: “How are you? Fine, thank you!” This is a matter of politeness, and this social convention lie simply serves to create a connection.

To avoid hurting or shocking someone, it might involve thanking a host for an enjoyable evening, even though in reality, you were truly bored. Or it might be congratulating a friend on their new hairstyle…