UNAIR NEWS – In everyday life, we meet many kinds of people with different characters. Sometimes, a person lies more often than the average person without any particular motive. It is called a pathological liar.
In this regard, Nido Dipo Wardana SPsi MSc, a lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology Universitas Airlangga, said that there are different understandings between ordinary people and psychology or psychiatry leaders related to this phenomenon. “What is important to understand pathological liars are are people who tell lies without good reasons why they tell them,” said Nido in an interview Tuesday, April 5, 2022.
He continued that the phenomenon of a pathological liar must be distinguished from other forms of lying, which are equally chronic but have a clear motive behind the lie. “There are other forms of chronic liars who also like to lie, but we can identify their motives,” said Nido.
Furthermore, he also said that the cause of a person being a pathological liar is not known for certain because the phenomenon has not received much scientific attention. However, from a biological point of view, Nido explained that their brains work differently, especially on the frontal lobe.
“It causes pathological liars to be less able to control their impulses to lie,” he said.
From a psychological point of view, Nido continued, this pathological habit of lying is often found in individuals with low self-esteem. “Sometimes, the lies he makes are a form of his ideal self,” said Nido.
Pathological liars, he continued, will often experience stress in their daily life. This, he continued, is due to having demands to continue spreading other lies to explain the lies he had previously committed.
“It’s a kind of chain that is difficult to change, so that commitment is burdensome for individuals because they have to think hard to fabricate information that is not true,” said Nido.
Furthermore, Nido emphasized that considering the limited studies on the pathological lying phenomenon, it is not known yet whether this condition can be treated or not. It is necessary to determine in advance whether the phenomenon is the same as other compulsive disorders.
“For example, if we categorize a pathological lying habit as a compulsive disorder, then it is assumed that we can help them to get rid of this habit. Of course, with therapy and maybe later medication and all kinds of treatment can be developed,” explained Nido. “However, to be sure, it requires further in-depth research,” he continued.
In the end, Nido said that dealing with people with pathological lying traits is certainly not an easy matter. If our closest person, such as a friend or even a spouse, is a pathological liar, Nido advises not to confront them head-on.
“Try to confirm (their lie, –ed ) then help them to see that they have lied a lot. We can find together what to do (the solution, – ed ) after that,” concluded Nido.
Author: Agnes Ikandani
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
