The authors discuss the phenomenon of lying, a common psychic process
that has received remarkably little scrutiny. The ubiquity of lying and
others forms of deception suggests that they have "normal" aspects, but
lying which is persistent or destructive to the quality of a person's life
becomes pathological. Lying has many determinants, including developmental,
biological, social, and psychodynamic. Antisocial, histrionic,
narcissistic, borderline, and compulsive personalities have been associated
with lying. The treatment of lying needs to be individualized according to
the overall symptom complex in which it is embedded.Abstract Teaser