What happens in the human brain when people tell lies

Lying is a mental ability for which an individual intentionally tries to convince another person to prove what he himself knows to be false. The reasons are more varied, from increasing a profit or avoiding a loss. The truth is that to a greater or lesser degree, all people think, once lying is an instinctive act and works as a social preservation strategy.

or traditional Lie Day, like ficou hecido or April 1st, is marked by piadas and pegadinhas. But what actually happens in the human brain when people tell lies not day by day?

There is a cerebral circuit responsible for this action that is capable of creating an event and, at the same time, having the notion of two untrue dangers.

Specialists affirm that lying is a normal behavior of the human being, sometimes necessary for life in society, but it can hide psychic illnesses.

As the critical sense allows breeding without losing or juízo

The frontal wolves are largely responsible for the manipulation of two thoughts, which represent an important neurobiological acquisition of the human species, as explained by neurosurgery doctor Fernando Gomes, free professor-teacher at the Hospital das Clínicas in São Paulo.

“It is in this region where the decision to omit a fact, create a story or lie, happens. Bem perto dali, or our critical sense, famously judged or our good sense also inhabits, the same frontal wolves, and allows us to listen to our good sense”, explains Gomes.

Creativity and fantasy are fundamental aspects of the formation of the brain, as long as the individual does not feed belief in lies.

“In fact, using the brain to imagine stories helps to increase creativity, but it is important to do so with caution. Leaping from lying is healthy, only I can not overcome the barriers and prove naquilo that does not really exist”, highlights the neurosurgery.

The consequences of lying for the brain

A lie requires more of the brain than I barely tell two facts. In order to lie, a person must first omit the truth and, then, develop a convincing alternative falsehood for the other, at the same time that he is concerned with hiding the physical signs of nervousness.

The neuroscientist Livia Ciacci, from Supera Ginástica Para o Cérebro, explains that such a process implies a greater use of two cognitive resources than when it is said to be true.

“Even demanding effort, and sometimes exhibiting typical expressions and movements, we cannot deny that lies have an important role in our organization in society and not enhance imagination and creativity. Imagine a child saying: ‘Tia, olha o mi desenho!’ and you answer: ‘What an ugly disaster!’, the negative impacts would be immediate, for example, ”she says.

The lie in the form of an account is essential in childhood, like myths like Papai Noel, Fada dos Dentes and Coelhinho da Páscoa. According to the specialist, the lie is the fruit of neuronal connections responsible for imagination and creativity.

“The ability of the brain to lie is also useful when we talk about memories, because we fill the gaps with our two fragments of memories with items from other memories or even imagined events. To make sense of the stories of his life, the brain uses the imagination and understands everything automatically. Até in the visual function, the brain sends ‘virtual’ images so that you won’t be blind while the others change position”, he explains.

Neuroscience closely observes behaviors linked to lies. Some studies relate that good liars are also excellent creative problem solvers.

The researchers Francesca Gino and Scott Wiltermuth planned a series of experiments, since all the participants were encouraged to trick and then they had a task that demanded creativity. The participants will show higher levels of creative thinking after having been induced to cheat at the previous moment. Then the trap can encourage subsequent creatures or prepare the people to be less frequent by the black ones.

When lying becomes a problem

There are some behavioral disorders that involve an excess of lies, or that must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by a specialized health professional. But not generally, people who think and perceive that they are not punished for it, even knowing that they were wrong, tend to repeat or even more likely to be the next lies.

“We are also not prepared to be unmasked, because we enter into the game or pride, or fear of judging and various games, we think that we think that the brain prefers to invent more elaborate things even to get rid of the guilt. The tendency is always to respond by increasing the lie”, explains Livia.

The psychiatrist Jéssica Martani emphasizes that it is necessary to differentiate the different types of lies. The so-called “social lies”, for example, are those that we tell to avoid conflicts or preserve a good relationship with other people.

“Not while, like any other behavior, if excessive and cause prejudice or suffering, if it is a liar or another, it can be said that lying is pathological and furthermore, feelings, thoughts and feelings must be taken into consideration. purposes that accompany a lie ”, affirms a specialist.

The main characteristic of pathological lying or mythomania is the uncontrollable tendency to tell lies, from small details to fanciful stories. “In the case of the mythomaniac, lies are not meant to ‘gain advantage’ or ‘deceive’, many times they can hide psychic illnesses or traits of a weakened personality that needs specialized help”, points out Jéssica.

For psychologist Daniela Faertes, a specialist in cognitive therapy and change in harmful behaviors, cases usually start with minor lies, which at first would sound like the person needed to call attention or to be treated with greater respect within a group. Although the number of them is increasing to the point that the liar begins to lose himself in his own narratives, without further measuring this scope.

The mythomaniacs can lie to benefit in some way, but sometimes I have a bad habit in itself. The invented stories are told naturally, about trivial everyday matters. But the fact can still be aggravated when the issues raised are more complex and the repercussions are greater.

Many face them to guarantee attention, but over time the people around them tend to discover the truths and become frustrated, totally losing their credibility with friends and family. The professional field isso becoming even more serious.

“There is a universe of possibilities when we are talking about a mythomaniac. It is necessary to understand this compulsive quest, that it would be a skill for others who acquire such a habit throughout their development, intentionally, if for protection, low self-esteem, benefit, illusion, modeling”, affirms Daniela.

A characteristic common to two mythomaniacs is the need for their attention, recognition and mainly admiration. The fantasies told tend to be to elevate them in some way. Therefore, it is directly related to individuals with low self-esteem. But there are other classifications of mythomaniacs.

“Correct lies are more common than you imagine. The patients falam that when they perceive, they lie. An automatism is a lie ”, he comments to a psychologist.

Daniela clarifies that generally mythomaniacs seek treatment when they are unmasked and this ends up causing a problem in their lives, with a question about such behavior. Not because of fault, but rather the havoc caused, such as the loss of loved ones, for example, or the deconstruction of an image. “No treatment, it is important to understand what the mythomaniac does not support in his own reality about to raise another”, she says.

How to contour or problem

A big limiter for lies is exactly face-to-face interaction, olho no olho. This context, or virtual environment can favor the invention of stories. In communication via screens or quick texts, we create fewer links and, consequently, less empathy, which makes it easier to lie.

To make you mind a lot, specialists suggest five ways to stop this behavior:

• If you need to lie so as not to appear rude, avoid an extremely opposite answer;
• When we grow up, we will ask about things in life, do not invent fanciful stories, say something close to reality in a simpler language;
• When you receive very interesting information through social networks, be wary and never review if you don’t know what the source of the information is;
• Do not expose children directly or in front of other people, this embarrassment is more prejudicial than your own imagined lie;
• When you suspect that someone is lying to you, you ask a random question about an insignificant detail and then ask something related to the story, you will distract people and they can get confused, giving themselves up to a lie.