When you believe 100 percent in your lies: pseudologia is important to recognize

You really think it is like that. You don't even doubt it, this has happened and that's it. Although... Is that really the truth? Maybe not. However, some people believe their lies 100 percent. And yes, this happens more often in relationships and friendships than you think. It has a name in psychology: pseudologica.

Pseudologica, also known as pseudological fantastic thinking, is a term used to describe a pattern of incorrect, misleading, or irrational reasoning used to support a particular viewpoint. It is a form of manipulation that can seem superficially convincing, but when you think about it and check everything, something is off. You know that something vague is going on. Someone is really pretending something is true while they are lying through their teeth, but they go so far in their fabrications that most people fall for it. And that person themselves also thinks this is the case.

They twist small facts and make you doubt: suddenly you think: wait, was it really not like that? Your child has fallen and comes home with a wound on her forehead. But that happened when you were there, at that swing, right? Not with that teacher? You saw that scrape under her hair this morning, yesterday, right, right? Instead of trusting facts, evidence, and logical reasoning, pseudologica often relies on emotions, prejudices, and unfounded assumptions to justify a viewpoint.

Another characteristic of pseudologica is the ability to create an entire story based on untruths or fantasies. These can be stories intended to evoke sympathy or simply to get away with something. This often happens with cheating and affairs. These stories can sometimes be quite convincing, but ultimately they often turn out to be vague. ‘I was having dinner with that colleague over there, but yes, I took a different route home, yes, because there was a detour, so I didn't come from that side of the city. Why are you checking my location? Come on, you're going crazy, that's weird of you.’ Yeah, right. And so you quickly feel guilty about something you actually just want to be sure of. Don't just believe people who are rambling on. Sometimes this form of manipulation occurs: pseudologica. Lying 2.0: going so far with what you make up that you believe it yourself.

Yet it is not so easy to spot. Recognizing pseudologica can be a challenge because it is often subtle and manipulative. People who use pseudologica can often come across as charismatic, convincing, and self-assured, which can make it difficult to question their stories. They twist just those details: that one thing they bought was that expensive. For that reason, they couldn't come to the office. Watch out.

Image: series ‘YOU’ Netflix