Pathological Lying
Why do some people lie compulsively?
4.4 (12)
45 mins
Explore the complex world of pathological lying and its emotional roots. Discover how pathological liars blend truth and fantasy to protect themselves. Learn about how pathologicalliars create elaborate stories without clear motives.
Ep 1:
Born to Lie: Origins of a Disorder
Host Vionna Flynn traces pathological lying back to its 19th-century medical roots, unpacking why these compulsive fabrications differ from ordinary dishonesty and what fear and fragile egos have to do with it.
Ep 2:
Trapped in Fiction: The Reality Rewired
Explore how pathological liars lose their grip on reality itself—blurring fantasy and fact—while the sheer relentless frequency of their lies turns everyday conversation into exhausting, reflexive fiction.
Ep 3:
Heroes, Victims, and the Art of the Lie
Discover how pathological liars cast themselves as heroes or victims to survive emotionally, plus the subtle tells and manipulative techniques that make their deceptions so hard to spot.
Ep 4:
Surviving the Storyteller: A Field Guide
When someone you love can't stop lying, how do you cope? This episode delivers practical, hard-won strategies for setting boundaries and protecting your sanity around chronic deceivers.
Ep 5:
Famous Fabrications and Final Truths
From a disgraced judge to Ponzi himself, real-life pathological liars reveal deception's devastating power—before we close with a reflection on truth, isolation, and the human cost of living in fiction.
Discussions (11)
Clint
Level 4 · 9 mo agoDude it's all calculated
William
Level 3 · 9 mo agoReminds me of a guy in IT... he fabricated outages just to fix them and play the hero. The podcast is spot on. Logic doesnt work on that kind of broken hardware. Best practice is to just fire them.
Pearce
Level 9 · 9 mo agoYou said they lie to avoid feeling insignificant. Is that why guys lie about height? I’m 5’7 and I don’t get why that number determines your worth lol
