We explain what a mythomaniac is, the differences with a liar and its characteristics.Also, how to help a mythomaniac.
What is a mythomaniac?
Mythomaniacs are those who suffer from mythomania, pathological lying or fantastic pseudology, that is, those who suffer from a psychological condition that leads them to tell lies in a compulsive and uncontrollable way, even when they do not receive any benefit from doing so.
The mythomania was described for the first time in 1898 by Anton Delbrück, and comes from the Greek words mythos, "Story", and mania, "Fury" or "madness". At present it is considered as one of the possible symptoms of much more complex psychiatric or psychological problems, such as personality disorders or psychopathies.
A “normal” propensity to lie should not be confused, that is, to a person liar, who is ethically questionable but in her right mind, with a mythomaniac. People suffering from this disease simply cannot not lie, and they do not do it sporadically, but constantly.
A mythomaniac does not lie for material gain, as in the case of people who lie for their benefit, but for the satisfaction of behaviors impulsive motivated by alterations of the chemistry cerebral, or as a defensive mechanism of people with a difficult and problematic mentality.
Characteristics of a mythomaniac
Mythomania, like people, can present itself in many different ways, but in general it is possible to recognize a mythomaniac because:
- The bottom line: they lie and exaggerate what they say very often, even in situations where they say the truth it would be more beneficial to them. The latter is very distinctive of the mythomaniac, since the liar simply seeks to benefit through a lie.
- They take stories told by third parties and tell them as if they were their own, or distort them to fit their life story.
- They are addicted to the attention of others, and in particular to the possibility of surprising others with amazing stories, fantastic or unpredictable twists of what is said, even when it borders on the incredible.
- They forget the lies told and are unable to support the same version, so they alter it with each repetition or memory.
- They may have insecure and low self-esteem, which are hidden behind the fantasy created.
How to help a mythomaniac?
Mythomania is a trouble A complex that can have multiple roots and that requires professional psychological or even psychiatric assistance, as it can be just a symptom of a deeper problem. So ideally, the mythomaniac can find a space of psychological trust in which he can begin the slow process of lowering his defenses and accepting the reality.
For this, many times they resort to exercises and techniques of confrontation with the truth, through which the mythomaniac is convinced that he does not require the lie to be accepted or loved by others, but quite the opposite. It seldom makes sense to confront them with their lie and confront them with reality in a hostile way, since they will resort to new and new lies to hide in a moment of vulnerability and exposure.