Why do people lie?

There are lots of reasons behind people telling lies. Although each reason might be different from the other, all of them stem from one root; being unable to bear the consequences of telling the truth.

Lack of courage, lack of problem-solving skills & lack of ability to properly handle unexpected events may make escaping a situation a much better option than facing it. If the person values honesty or if he is religiously observant then he may try to escape the situation without lying. If lying is an option then it will definitely be considered the easier way out.

Consequently, lying is the combination of being unable to face the results of honesty and the lack of proper values;the tolerance of lying.

Other reasons behind people lying

The previous introduction provided a general explanation to the psychology of lying and the following are more specific situations that may elaborate the reasons behind lying.

Seeking attention, some people choose to lie; lacking self confidence or overlooked by peers, they usually make up stories and thus gaining some of the lost attention.

People also lie when they can't seem to accept a specific situation; not believing that that could happen to them. Some, upon losing a close relative don't accept it and deny their loss. It being a form of shock recovery, I don't really like to classify it as lying. (see the anatomy of acceptance for more information)

People may also lie to get some incentive or benefit, like lying on their resumes or in job interviews. However the intentions, this is still regarded as an inability to tolerate the consequences of admitting that they don’t have the required skills.

Why do people lie to themselves?

Do people lie to themselves on purpose?
No they don’t. They just lie, and repeating it to everyone they eventually end up believing the lie!! Don't be surprised; the subconscious mind can be programmed with repetition, that’s why people end up believing themselves upon repeating the story over and over.

Why do people lie in relationships?

Some people lying in relationships are divided to two categories; ones who lie hoping to rescue the relationship while the second do so to cover up for their actions. I, personally, don’t agree with the first as lying will only solve problems on the short term, leaving the relation prone to suffer even worse long term consequences; especially if the lies are discovered. The other category includes those who cheat; people who cheat in a relationship will usually want to hide every possible trace they left and so they lie.

Handling lies

If you are always the subject of lies, the links below can come in handy as they will teach you how to spot a liar. If you are prone to lying, then you will need to learn how to face situations instead of escaping them. Increasing your problem-handling skills, lying won’t be your only option but will be one amongst many others.

2knowmyself is not a simple article website nor it’s a place where you will find shallow fixes, but it’s a place where you will find effective techniques that are backed by psychology and that are presented in obvious and understandable format. If you think that this is some kind of marketing hype then see what other visitors say about 2knowmyself.The book How to make someone fall in love with you was released by 2knowmyself.com; the book will dramatically increase your chance of letting someone fall in love with you.

Want to know more?

How to know if someone is lying to me?

Can i tell if someone is lying through body language?

How to tell if he is cheating on me?

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