They Say Honesty Is The Best Policy, But That's Not Always Possible — How A Counselor Can Help

Health & Medical Blog

Trust is one of the most important things to have in any relationship. It should go without saying that it's difficult to trust someone who is unable to tell the truth. While some people may lie occasionally for various reasons, such as trying to avoid hurting someone's feelings or out of embarrassment, there are people who lie habitually and others who fabricate memories. 

What many people don't realize, however, is that some mental health conditions can contribute to lying and/or falsification. Here's what you need to know if your romantic partner lies constantly, and how a counselor can help.

Is your loved one really lying?

When people lie, they generally know that they are lying. But, did you know that some people state untruths without realizing that they are lying? Here's the difference:

• Mythomania & Pseudologia Fantastica. Pathological lying is a term that many people are familiar with. Mythomania and pseudologia fantastica mean the same thing and are other terms that are used by professionals in mental health, such as therapists and counselors. According to the National Institutes of Health, it's a psychiatric phenomenon that is related to some psychiatric and personality disorders. They know they're lying but have a difficult time controlling their behavior due to their mental health condition.
• Confabulation. Confabulation is another psychiatric phenomenon. Confabulation involves fabrications and falsification of memories in which the person believes them as real. Therefore, confabulation is not considered as a conscious attempt to lie due to the fact that the person actually believes the fabrications as being real and factual. This can be a symptom of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or Korsakoff's syndrome, which is caused by severe, chronic alcoholism.

Can mental health professionals help?

If you believe your loved one has a mental health condition that causes them to tell lies or untruths, it would be beneficial for your relationship for them to be evaluated by a mental health professional and for your both to seek counseling, together and separate. Marriage counseling may also help, but first, you should delve into whether or not the lies are the result of mythomania or confabulation and determine what the root cause of it is.

Behavioral health counseling is a must as part of the treatment plan for your loved one as well as for yourself. For your loved one, cognitive behavioral therapy can help your loved one develop better habits. For you, counseling can provide you with coping skills and tools to help you manage confrontations when your loved one lies or confabulates.

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23 August 2021