Compulsive Liars

We don’t typically think of a child who is a compulsive liar as having ‘special needs’, other than maybe a spanking, (or maybe a more civilized ‘time-out’).  But compulsive lying can be a symptom of much deeper problems, which, if not addressed properly, can continue into adulthood.  

A child who is a compulsive liar may invent a lie, even when it serves no useful purpose; present this sometimes outlandish fantasy as truth, and hold to it, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that refutes it.  Then, when even the liar is forced to admit its falsehood – he will minimize his role in promoting the lie, blaming somebody else for starting it.  The child may, for example, claim that a playmate’s father had been involved in the assassination of President Kennedy – then claim that he was just passing on something he read in a respected publication … like the National Enquirer.  Or he might claim that a playmate had been born on Mars, stick with the story for a long time, and then when threatened with punishment, claim that another playmate had started the story.  

Untreated, the compulsive liar grows into an emotionally crippled adult, who may have never developed the ability to distinguish between his lies and reality.  If he is charismatic (and many are), he may succeed in lying his way to the top of the corporate ladder or even achieve high political office, but he leaves behind a legacy of personal and professional destruction – and it never ends well.  In the end, the only question is who, and what organization, he brings down with him.  

If we hope to help this person, it is likely counterproductive to elect him president.