Everyone lies for different reasons. People may lie in order to protect someone, defend themselves, make themselves look cool, or to avoid a potential consequence and punishment. It is compulsive or impulsive and uncontrolled, and it has self-defeating and trapping qualities. Lies often occur when someone becomes self-conscious and feels the need to defend someone or something. But what is the difference between being a pathological liar and someone who tells a few lies?

Pathological liars have the tendency to constantly lie and, unfortunately, they can’t help it. Pathological lying can be considered habitual. It is when an individual constantly lies for no personal gain.

“When people lie to me I start losing trust in not only them, but in everyone,” says Shannon Tracy (11). “Our lives would be completely different and everyone would be happier knowing the truth because I have been lied to, and I don’t get upset when I know the truth.”

Fear is one of the contributors in becoming a pathological liar. When a child finds themselves in a sticky situation, they fear a punishment so they choose to tell a lie in hopes to avoid a consequence.

Dylan Schuler (10) says “[I lie] more often than I would like to admit. I think I lie about the little things that don’t matter.”

Lying is something that can cause many more problems than the initial issue you may have been avoiding. When someone lies, those around them may lose trust and won’t believe the person the next time they need answers.