What is a mythomaniac person and how to identify them?

A mythomaniac person lies more than they breathe and drifts into fabulation every time they reason, so it is true that relating to a profile with these characteristics can be dangerous. You will never know who is behind that mask and the created character. Likewise, the man or woman who shows this condition ends up trapped in self-destructive dynamics.

The pathological liar has a compulsive need to falsify any information to be the center of attention. When his dishonest behavior is discovered, he acts defensively and even somewhat aggressively. Far from changing or correcting said behavior, it relapses again and again. This is a condition of great impact that is worth knowing in depth. We describe it to you.

Characteristics of a mythomaniac person

The mythomaniac person is one who shows a fantastic pseudology or tendency towards compulsive lying. It was the German psychiatrist Anton Delbrük who first described it in 1891 and, since then, we have a better understanding of this behavior. It should be noted that, as Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice points out, we are not dealing with a recognized clinical disorder.

Its prevalence is between 8% and 13% and, which indicates the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), is that mythomania can present as a symptom of antisocial personality disorder. However, part of the scientific community demands more research to better define and understand this reality.

In any case, there is something you will agree on: it is necessary to detect this behavioral pattern to protect ourselves and provide help to those who suffer from it. Next, we detail what a mythomaniac person is like.

Uncontrollable need to resort to lying

A mythomaniac blurs any aspect of reality to the point of bordering on the absurd. His need to lie is constant, but he almost always does it with the purpose of enhancing his personal image. He will claim achievements, invent heroics and seek to create a character as brilliant as he is fantastic.

In fact, clinical research describes very striking stories. The International Neuropsychiatric Disease Journal, for example, analyzed the case of a man who accused himself of several crimes just to attract attention. It is, therefore, about a profile capable of simulating all types of realities and imagining stories, in order to impress and gain notoriety.

Mythomaniacs live a distorted reality

If psychiatrists and psychologists demand further investigation into the mythomaniac personality, it is for an undoubted fact. This condition presents unique characteristics that cannot always be linked exclusively to antisocial behavior. They are profiles that live in a very distorted fantasy reality.

This prevents them from maintaining a job to building stable and quality social relationships.. They live in their own universe and create a character that varies depending on the situation and their interests. So much so that, sometimes, they will even describe as their own experiences that you yourself have explained to them about your life.

All of this is due to a very specific fact: His mind is halfway between daydreaming and delusions.

They respond defensively and do not admit their lies

There is a clear difference between a compulsive liar and a pathological liar or mythomaniac. The latter does not distinguish good from evil and will never admit his lies. They are men and women who construct bizarre falsehoods that no one can contradict or question.. If they do, they react aggressively and defensively.

Therefore, if you find yourself with this same behavioral profile, it is not always appropriate to contradict their reasoning.

They present neurological disorders

If you wonder what mythomania means, you should know that it is more than just a person who lies continuously. Studies also reveal that there are abnormalities in the central nervous system.

A work published in The British Journal of Psychiatry: The Journal of Mental Science points out alterations in a very specific brain area.

The mythomaniac person shows a greater volume in the white matter and in the orbitofrontal gyri. This particularity is related to a more significant tendency towards pathological lying.

Signs of anxiety while communicating

A prototypical sign of the mythomaniac person is maintaining a communication style dominated by anxiety. This will make you always perceive a certain nervousness and problems when communicating. The ideas overlap one another, it is difficult to understand them and they always seem more agitated than normal.

Their mind and brain confabulate, biased and false ideas are produced so quickly that it is difficult for them to put what they think into words. This means that, often, they are not even aware of what they say and their exaggerated falsehoods.

The average age of onset of fantastic pseudology and mythomaniac personality is 16 years. From this moment on, this behavior intensifies over time. Although the exact trigger for this clinical condition is unknown, we know that in more than 40% of cases there are abnormalities in the central nervous system.

Mythomania is comorbid with other personality disorders

In the journal Case Reports in Psychiatry, a very characteristic case of manic people with fantastic pseudology is described. A 28-year-old boy went to the emergency room because he said he suffered from numerous illnesses, but he also recounted incredible academic and sporting achievements. Incoherence in speech is recurrent, like the comorbidity of other psychiatric conditions.

This young man, in particular, was depressed. However, it is common for the mythomaniac to also suffer from some personality disorder or clinical conditions such as the following:

Obsessive, compulsive and controlling behaviors. Very frequent aggressive and impulsive behaviors. Antisocial disorder or borderline personality disorder. Patterns of jealousy and violent behavior in emotional relationships.

How can you help a compulsive liar?

The psychoanalyst Charles Dithrich is one of the figures who has studied mythomania the most and, specifically, fantastic pseudology. In fact, one of the first works that addressed treatment in children was the one he published in The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis in 1991.

In this way, something that stands out is that fanciful lies are an attempt to maintain a good and shiny self to look like a hero and thus strengthen self-esteem.

It is because of that Therapy in these patients should always focus on understanding the origins of the lie and the problem that causes it. Below we describe which approaches are most appropriate in these cases.

Drug therapy: As we pointed out, mythomaniacs frequently show some psychological disorder. In these cases, professionals will assess the need to administer a psychotropic drug that relieves the symptoms and favors psychological intervention.Group therapy: Many mythomaniac patients live in isolation and are victims of their own harmful behavior. Group therapeutic intervention is beneficial in these cases, as it provides a supportive environment to share experiences with others and receive constructive feedback.Systemic family therapy: In most cases, it is necessary to include the family in the therapeutic process. Mythomania begins between the ages of 16 and 22, so it is pertinent to understand what happens in family dynamics. Also provide strategies to improve communication, trust and apply more effective limits.Cognitive-behavioral therapy: It is effective in identifying and changing the patterns of thinking and behavior that lead to compulsive lying. Thanks to it, the underlying motivations for falsehoods are understood and the patient develops healthy coping skills to shape honest and respectful behaviors.

Mythomania, a very counterproductive behavior

At present, we still do not understand the underlying causes of mythomania. It is often suggested that perhaps there are childhood traumas and even brain disorders of genetic origin, but it is not clear. We therefore need broader explorations of this condition, in view of its serious effects on both the patient and his environment.

It is important to highlight that, Although people with mythomania live in a fantasy and delusional mental scenario, this does not prevent them from sometimes leading to criminal actions. Scam and aggressiveness in interpersonal relationships are two very harmful realities observable in these same profiles.

Do not hesitate to protect yourself from such situations and encourage these people to seek specialized help.

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