Often lying can be a sign of mythomania, what is it?

You know at least one person in your life who lies a lot. You may be wondering if there is something wrong with lying people and whether this is a psychological problem. Well, apparently there is a special term for people with this condition, namely mythomania or psedulogia fantastica. Have you ever heard of this term? Come on, get acquainted further with mythomania below.

What is mythomania?

Pathological lying (pathologic lying), or what is known as mythomania syndrome or psedulogia fantastica, is a condition in which the sufferer has a habit of lying, which cannot be controlled.

A person who has this condition likes to lie for a long time. They may be more comfortable telling lies than the truth, even if those are insignificant things.

Not only that, people with mythomania also often have no motive or reason to lie. In fact, they may even be lying that tarnishes their own reputation. After the truth was revealed, it was still difficult for them to admit it.

Worse, in people with this condition, lies have become a big part of his life. In fact, not infrequently, people with this condition believe their own words that are not true, so that they can no longer distinguish what is fictitious and what is real from their life.

Please note, mythomania syndrome or psychiatric fantastica was first discovered by a German psychiatrist named Anton Delbrueck. In 1891, Delbrueck gave the name pseudologia fantastica to describe a group of patients who often do fake stories, which are accompanied by elements of fantasy or fantasy in their stories.

Do all people who lie with mythomania?

No, mythomania is one type of pathological lying. Pathological lies are divided into several types, namely:

• Pseudologica fantastica or mythomania.
• Habitual lying (they are caught quickly and usually accompanied by neurological or nervous system disorders, such as learning difficulties).
• Lying accompanied by impulsive habits, such as stealing, gambling, and shopaholic or crazy shopping.
• Fraudsters who like to change their identity, address, and profession to impersonate someone else or to make them look great to others.

Of all these types, mythomania is considered the most extreme because the sufferer often combines fact and fantasy. Those who experience mythomania will often lie and feel they get pleasure from this attitude.

However, even though they seem happy, inside they still feel guilty and know that it's a bad thing. However, they will still pretend and cover up their behavior.

What are the characteristics of someone who has mythomania?

Many people don't tell the truth. However, there are some special criteria or characteristics of people who are chronic lying or mythomania, including:

• The stories they tell sound very real and they may tell something based on someone else's true story.
• They tend to make stories that are permanent and stable.
• This attitude is not done to get a material advantage.
• The stories they write are usually related to important police institutions, the army, and so on. They also have an important role in the institution or in the story. For example, as a savior figure.
• Speech tends to display a positive perspective, such as having a master's degree rather than claiming that they dropped out of school.

How do you distinguish mythomania from common lies?

When viewed by its purpose, lying and mythomania were different things. According to a 2016 study, general lying can usually be done for several reasons, such as:

• The desire to cover up something about him.
• The desire for profit.
• Covering yourself from mistakes that have been done.
• As a way to build self-confidence that has been lacking so that other people like it more.

Meanwhile, mythomania is not related to gain and is compulsive-impulsive. In fact, they will still lie even though this attitude is bad for themselves.

In addition, those who experience mythomania generally commit fantasy lies. Usually they will tell lies about something they imagine and combined with existing facts. Meanwhile, the general lies are usually only about things around feelings, income, achievements, sexual life, and about age.

What are the causes of mythomania?

The cause of someone who likes to lie is not known for sure. However, some psychologists believe environmental factors play a role in shaping this character. A person who has mythomania syndrome may live in an environment that believes that the benefits of lying outweigh the risks.

Not only that, but lying can also be caused by past trauma or low self-esteem. By lying, they try to overcome the trauma of the past and this self-respect that has been lurking.

In addition, mythomania is also often associated with a person's mental health conditions. People who lie often show up as a symptom of a certain bigger mental illness or disorder, such as bipolar disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), borderline personality disorder (borderline personality disorder), or substance dependence (addiction).

How do I get rid of mythomania?

Mythomania sufferers generally require treatment with a psychotherapy approach and the use of certain drugs. A therapist, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, can help people with this condition as they become accustomed to understanding them.

Even through a therapist, someone who often lies will be identified whether he has certain underlying mental disorders. If so, the therapist will try to solve all the mental health problems he has.

However, treatment through psychotherapy can be very difficult. The reason is, people with mythomania can say dishonestly during the treatment. Therefore, this type of treatment will work effectively if the sufferer is aware of his condition and wants to stop his lying habit. If forced, sufferers of this condition may not cooperate.

There are various methods of psychotherapy that can be done. You may do the counseling individually or as a group. You may also need to get additional therapy, such as marriage counseling, if your lying has disturbed your relationship with your partner.

What to do when dealing with people with this syndrome?

If you have relatives, friends, relatives, or even spouses who lie, you need to deal with them in the right way so as not to get carried away by the situation. Here are some tips for dealing with mythomania:

• Look into his eyes with a confused and blank look. This lets them know that they are not fooling you, and they may turn to someone else.
• Do not easily believe what he said. It's always best to find the truth or confirm the facts of their story.
• Don't argue with their stories because you will never get the truth from what they say.
• Offer him help and support. Assure them that you care about their problems and are willing to help.
• Encourage them to tell the truth a little at a time to help deal with the behavior.