By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate
🧠1. Neurologically: Your Brain Adapts… and Deteriorates
⚡ Amygdala Desensitization
- The amygdala triggers emotional responses like guilt, fear, or moral discomfort when we lie.
- Over time, repeated lying dulls the amygdala’s response — the liar feels less guilt, less fear, less empathy.
- This creates a kind of emotional numbing that makes lying easier — but also reduces emotional connection and empathy.
🧩 Prefrontal Cortex Overload
- The prefrontal cortex, responsible for logic, self-control, and planning, works overtime to manage lies:
- Who did I tell this lie to?
- What version of the story did I give?
- How do I keep this from being exposed?
- This leads to:
- Cognitive fatigue
- Heightened anxiety
- Reduced decision-making ability
- Increased irritability or mood swings
Eventually, the brain struggles to distinguish truth from fiction — leading to confusion, paranoia, and sometimes even delusional thinking.
🧠2. Psychologically: Fragmentation of the Self
Constant lying creates a false self. A persona. A mask.
Behind that mask:
- There’s shame, often dating back to childhood trauma.
- There’s a fear of not being accepted as the real self.
- There’s a need to control perception and avoid vulnerability.
This psychological fragmentation can lead to:
- Anxiety and depression
- Chronic stress
- Imposter syndrome
- A feeling of being “lost in your own life”
- Inability to form deep, trusting relationships
The more someone lies, the more they detach from their core identity — until they no longer know who they truly are.
đź’Ą 3. Behavioral Changes & Personality Shifts
Pathological lying alters how someone behaves in the world. You might see:
- Increased defensiveness or aggression when confronted
- Gaslighting or manipulation to protect the lie
- Blame-shifting to avoid responsibility
- Control-seeking behavior (need to dominate conversations, narratives, or relationships)
Over time, these patterns can become entrenched and resemble narcissistic or sociopathic traits — even if the person didn’t start out that way.
🧬 4. Physical Health: Chronic Lying = Chronic Stress
Lying triggers a stress response in the body.
Even if the person has become numb emotionally, the body keeps score.
The result?
- Increased cortisol levels (stress hormone)
- Weakened immune system
- Digestive issues
- High blood pressure
- Tension headaches, migraines
- Sleep disturbances or insomnia
- Fatigue or burnout
Lying literally keeps the body in a constant state of “fight or flight”, especially when lies are used to cover up harmful behavior.
🔄 5. Relationship Damage & Social Isolation
The more someone lies:
- The harder it becomes to form genuine relationships.
- Friends, partners, even colleagues begin to pull away once they sense the dishonesty.
- Eventually, the person finds themselves isolated, surrounded by people who either don’t know the truth — or who have been manipulated into silence.
This isolation increases:
- Depression
- Resentment
- Paranoia (“Who knows? Who’s still on my side?”)
🌪️ In Summary: What Constant Lying Does to a Person
- Brain:Â Desensitized, confused, anxious
- Mind:Â Fragmented, lonely, unstable
- Body:Â Exhausted, inflamed, stressed
- Behavior:Â Manipulative, avoidant, reactive
- Relationships:Â Distant, broken, based on control instead of connection
🌱 Can a Chronic Liar Heal?
Yes — but only if they are willing to face the truth.
Healing requires:
- Radical honesty with self
- Therapy to uncover the roots of the deception
- Accountability without excuses
- Reconnecting with the real self underneath the mask
Because behind every compulsive liar is usually a wounded child who learned that truth wasn’t safe.
But healing begins when that child is finally allowed to speak the truth without fear.
— Linda C J Turner
Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment
