Am I a compulsive liar?

Hello Anonymous,

Pathological lying (PL) has been defined by the Psychiatric Times as “a long history (maybe lifelong) of frequent and repeated lying for which no apparent psychological motive or external benefit can be discerned.”

In her article posted on PsychCentral, Tamara Hill, MS wrote, "We now know that pathological lying is often spontaneous and unplanned. It is also something that occurs in individuals who have certain personality traits or even diagnoses. Some diagnoses that might include pathological lying includes but is not limited to:

Personality Disorders:
Antisocial Personality Disorder (better known as sociopathy)
Borderline Personality Disorder
Behavioral disorders:
Conduct disorder (often diagnosed in children and teens who have criminal histories or demonstrate sociopathic traits such as animal cruelty, fire setting, and oppositional behaviors toward authority)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Oppositional defiant disorder or ODD

Certain personality traits where pathological lying may occur include:

Narcissism
Selfishness
Abusive behavior
Obsessive, controlling, and compulsive behaviors
Impulsivity
Jealous behavior
Manipulative behaviors
Deceptiveness
Socially awkward, uncomfortable, or isolated
Low self-esteem
Tempermentalness
Anger

Anonymous, you might consider seeking the professional help of a well trained psychologist who specializes in this area.

Regards,
Maryann