Am I a Pathological Liar?

Take this quiz to see if you're a compulsive fibber.

When most people tell lies, they do it to gain something. A pathological liar (or compulsive liar) is someone who lies just because they can, or because they can’t help it. If you’re here, you might be wondering if that describes you.

Answer these 10 quick questions honestly, and we’ll examine the data and bring back your results, judgment-free.

(Disclaimer: This is a self-test. It’s impossible to diagnose compulsive lying without meeting with a professional.)

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Questions Overview

1. How easy is it for you to tell a lie?
  1. It's basically effortless. I can make up convincing lies on the spot, and don't really have to think about it.
  2. It's pretty easy, but not effortless. I sometimes have trouble coming up with convincing lies on the spot.
  3. It's somewhat hard. I have to think about my lie ahead of time in order for it to be convincing.
  4. It's super hard. I can't easily come up with lies, and it's really hard for me to tell them.
2. How often do you think you tell lies? Take your best guess:
  1. Once a day, or more frequently.
  2. About once a week.
  3. About once a month.
  4. About once a year, or less frequently.
3. Have you ever lied for no reason, or just because you could?
  1. Yes, I do this frequently, and I enjoy doing it.
  2. Yes, I often do this, but I don't really enjoy it.
  3. I've done this occasionally, but it's not a habit.
  4. I almost never lie, or I never lie without a good reason.
4. Do you think that lying often makes your life more difficult, or gets in the way of living the life you want?
  1. Yes, lying has made my life noticeably harder.
  2. Yes, lying has made my life a little harder.
  3. No, lying hasn't created any issues for me, or I don't lie enough for it to be an issue.
  4. I'm not sure.
5. Can you remember a time when someone caught you lying?
  1. Yes, I can remember multiple times when I was caught in a lie.
  2. Yes, I can remember one or two times I was caught in a lie.
  3. No, I can't remember ever being caught in a lie.
  4. I'm not sure.
6. How do you react when you're caught in a lie?
  1. I add more lies to cover my tracks.
  2. I deny lying, but I don't lie again to avoid making things worse.
  3. I confess to my lie and clear things up.
  4. I’ve never been in that situation.
7. Do you find lying fun, or do you enjoy doing it?
  1. Yes, I think that telling lies is often fun.
  2. Telling lies is sometimes fun, but not usually.
  3. I never enjoy telling lies.
  4. I'm not sure.
8. Do you tend to exaggerate or embellish things when you tell stories?
  1. Yes, I tend to stretch the truth a lot, and in big ways.
  2. I stretch the truth, but only in small ways, or by changing small details.
  3. I don't usually stretch the truth.
  4. I always tell things exactly as I remember them.
9. Do your lies tend to be small, or big and dramatic?
  1. I tend to tell both big and small lies.
  2. I mostly only tell small lies, but sometimes tell big lies.
  3. I only lie when it comes to small things that don't really matter.
  4. I try to avoid lying in any situation, no matter how small.
10. If someone tells a good story, is it okay to tell it to other people as though it happened to you?
  1. Yes. There's no need to say that it's someone else's story. It's all for fun, anyway.
  2. You can pretend it happened to you while you tell it, but you should make sure they know it's just pretend.
  3. No, you should always make it clear that it's someone else's story when you tell it.
  4. No, you should never tell someone else's story for them, even if others know the truth.
11. Do most of the stories you tell position you as either a hero or a victim, with no in-between?
  1. Yes. I think that describes most things that happen to me.
  2. I'm the hero or victim in many stories, but not most of them.
  3. No, I don't think of myself as either a hero or a victim in my stories.
  4. I'm not sure, or I don't know.
12. Be honest: Have you lied on this quiz?
  1. Yes, multiple times.
  2. Yes, just once.
  3. No, I haven't lied in my answers.
  4. I'm not sure.

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We're not here to judge you, though! Many people deal with lying habits every day, and while lying can hurt others, it also makes your own life more difficult, which can be hard if you've picked up the habit and don't know how to quit. Here are a few strategies to try:

  • Before you speak, ask yourself: \"Will lying protect me or someone else? Or will it only make things more complicated?\"<\/li>
  • Remind yourself that other people might get hurt, even if your lie seems small.<\/li>
  • Practice radical honesty: Resolve to only ever tell the truth, even when it's hard. Deciding never to lie at all is easier than trying to pick and choose when to lie.<\/li>
  • See a licensed therapist to discuss why you feel the urge to lie, and come up with personalized strategies to break the habit.<\/li><\/ul>","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Lying"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Stop Lying","id":21915,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Lying","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Stop-Lying-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Lying-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Stop Lying"},{"title":"How to Spot a Pathological Liar","id":1853668,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar","image":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a8\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Spot-a-Pathological-Liar-Step-13.jpg","alt":"How to Spot a Pathological Liar"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":2,"text":"You're totally honest, and not a pathological liar.","meaning":"Based on your answers, it seems like you\u2019re super honest and totally trustworthy! You don't ever see a need to avoid the truth, even when the truth is hard to tell. You know that it's always better to be transparent about things. That way, people will know that they can trust you, and everyone is always on the same page.

    There may come times when you're tempted to lie, but for the most part, you steer clear of fibbing. And when you do fib, it's usually to protect yourself or other people, which is a good call. Keep it up!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Lying"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Stop Lying","id":21915,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Lying","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Stop-Lying-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Lying-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Stop Lying"},{"title":"How to Spot a Pathological Liar","id":1853668,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar","image":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a8\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Spot-a-Pathological-Liar-Step-13.jpg","alt":"How to Spot a Pathological Liar"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":3,"text":"You might lie now and then, but you're not a pathological liar.","meaning":"Based on your answers, you probably tell lies every now and then, but it's not something you enjoy doing, and you don't do it just because you can, which is the hallmark of a pathological liar. Instead, you're like most people: you might lie in order to protect yourself or someone else, or because it's convenient, but you don't just lie for the sake of lying.

    Pretty much everyone lies occasionally, so we're definitely not here to judge. Regardless, it's important to know when it's okay to lie, versus when lying isn't the wisest choice. Here are some things to consider to help you decide:
    • Ask yourself if someone might get hurt because of your lie (no matter how small), either physically or emotionally.<\/li>
    • Ask yourself if you're lying for personal gain. In most cases, it's not a good idea to lie just to get ahead; it usually comes back to bite you.<\/li>
    • Ask yourself if your lie is actually protecting someone from harm. If your lie would prevent someone from hurting another person, it might be a good lie.<\/li><\/ul>","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Lying"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Stop Lying","id":21915,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Lying","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Stop-Lying-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Lying-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Stop Lying"},{"title":"How to Spot a Pathological Liar","id":1853668,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar","image":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a8\/Spot-a-Pathological-Liar-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Spot-a-Pathological-Liar-Step-13.jpg","alt":"How to Spot a Pathological Liar"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""}]" class="quiz_results_data"/>\"Empath<\/picture>","alt":"Empath Test"},{"title":"Am I Sweet or Salty Quiz","id":14534137,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Sweet-or-Salty-Test","image":"\"Sweet<\/picture>","alt":"Am I Sweet or Salty Quiz"},{"title":"Am I a Likable Person Quiz","id":14061268,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Likable-Person-Test","image":"\"Likable<\/picture>","alt":"Am I a Likable Person Quiz"}],"number":1},{"text":"Not really.","result":"We feel that. Why not check out these quizzes we hand-picked just for you?","next_quizzes":[{"title":"Do I Have an Internal Monologue Quiz","id":14528123,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Internal-Monologue-Test","image":"\"Internal<\/picture>","alt":"Do I Have an Internal Monologue Quiz"},{"title":"Do I Have Synesthesia Quiz","id":14248845,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Synesthesia-Test","image":"\"Synesthesia<\/picture>","alt":"Do I Have Synesthesia Quiz"},{"title":"Am I a Highly Sensitive Person Quiz","id":14047700,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Highly-Sensitive-Person-Test","image":"\"Highly<\/picture>","alt":"Am I a Highly Sensitive Person Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>

About Compulsive Lying

Usually, people tell lies because they have something to gain, whether that means they’re protecting themselves, making themselves look good, or aiming for some sort of advantage or prize. A pathological liar, though, is someone who tells lies without any clear reason, or just because they can, or habitually. This is also known as “compulsive lying,” or mythomania.

What Causes Compulsive Lying?
There are many potential causes. Sometimes, someone gets in the habit of lying and eventually finds out that they can’t stop—it’s too easy, fun, or advantageous, and so they just keep going. Other times, pathological lying is caused by other conditions or disorders, like narcissistic personality disorder or antisocial behaviors. No matter how it starts, it’s a serious and often difficult thing to handle—for both the liar and the people they’re lying to.

Signs of a Pathological Liar Spotting a pathological liar is often a difficult game of he-said-she-said. Unless the person immediately tells many obvious lies, you probably won’t catch on right away. Instead, you’ll probably become suspicious over time as you look for signs like:

  • They frequently embellish stories they tell with details that are improbable, or which you know didn’t happen.
  • They don’t lie for any particular or obvious reason.
  • They become extremely defensive when confronted about a lie, or totally unconcerned.
  • They often change the facts when asked about something multiple times.
  • They say one thing but do another.

Overcoming Compulsive Lying
Pathological lying is a slippery slope: the more you do it, the easier it becomes, and the harder it becomes to stop. But there are ways to stop , and pathological lying can be treated. If you struggle with lying, try the following:

  • Before you lie, ask yourself if it’s necessary, or if you’re lying just because you can.
  • Think about the consequences lying could have. What’s the worst-case scenario?
  • Practice telling the truth, even when it’s hard. Being honest can also be a habit!
  • Think before you speak. If you frequently lie, and your comment isn’t necessary, it may be better not to say anything rather than risk a compulsive lie.
  • See a licensed therapist or psychiatrist, who can diagnose your problem and help you come up with personalized ways to solve it.


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