Telling Lies Can Affect Your Health
93Everyone knows that telling lies can get you into trouble. Most of us learned that as a kid. When Mom or Dad found out it was you, not the dog, who ate the last piece of chocolate cake, you were in for it. But what if you got away with it? Chances are, if you did get away with it, you tried it again and if it continued to work for you, lying became a useful tool in life. The thing is, sooner or later that kind of antisocial behavior catches up with you. It starts to affect your relationships and it can most assuredly affect your health.
The Mind Body Connection
Our nervous systems are connected to our immune systems so it makes sense that our brain and our emotions can send out messages that affect our health. To put it simply, your body responds to the way you think. When we think happy thoughts our bodies produce endorphins; hormones that make us feel good. Those chemicals also contribute to a stronger, healthier immune system. Conversely, when we are worried, anxious or generally stressed out, our bodies produce different kinds of hormones such as cortisol, and norepinephrine.
Cortisol increases blood sugar and suppresses the immune system. Norepinephrine kick starts the “flight or fight” response meaning our heart rate accelerates and our blood pressure goes up.
Modern medical doctors as well as holistic practitioners agree that a person who lies continuously will eventually face anxiety, depression, physical illness and even psychological illness.
Source: Saundra Dalton-Smith M.D, author of Set Free to Live Free: Breaking Through the 7 Lies Women Tell Themselves.
Why Do We Lie?
Psychologists tell us that we lie because we are fearful of the consequences of telling the truth. Guilt bears a heavy burden on those who live into it, so people lie to avoid looking stupid, or incompetent, or so someone won’t get angry at them.
There are other reasons why people lie. People are afraid of being punished. They may feel embarrassed, they may loose face, status, or they might not get what they want, as many liars lie to manipulate people.
Liars think they are protecting themselves, but that kind of payoff obliterates the meager benefits listed above and it can be devastating to one’s health and happiness.
First off, it takes a lot more effort to tell a lie than to tell the truth.
To be a believable liar, you have to live into the lie, which often means believing in the lie yourself. Deluding yourself is stressful work because it’s a lot easier to remember the truth than it is to remember details of a lie. If you're questioned about the situation that led to the lie, you have to stick with it even if someone challenges your lie with proof that you’re lying. It takes a smooth operator to gloss over every challenge and it takes a sharp memory to defend every lie with conviction. Even the most convincing liar constantly worries that his or her lies will be exposed. It's that kind of anxiety that brings on ulcers, headaches, sleepless nights and paranoia.
Lying is not only an anti-social behavior, liars often become anti-social themselves. If they hang around people they’ve lied to, they begin to dislike those people. They may even blame them for their problems. It's no wonder that lies can ruin work relationships, marriages and friendships. If you’re caught in a lie, your credibility drops to zero. Without credibility or friends it's easy to understand why liars are prone to self-criticism and depression.
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Don't Worry About Choosing the Truth
If you are tempted to lie, relax. Remember that the repercussions of telling the truth are really much easier on the mind and body than are the repercussions of telling a lie. There are a lot of benefits in choosing to tell the truth, including saving your sanity and physical health.
Simply by saying you’re sorry (if you did something wrong) and offering to make up for your error may end the ordeal quickly and you won’t be plagued with having to constantly substantiate the charade of the lie.
Simply by telling the truth about an embarrassing situation and taking responsibility for your actions can win you respect and perhaps even the support of others.
You’ll also gain a reputation for being an honest person. True, you may be known for making mistakes, but honesty is still the best policy and you’ll avoid that stomach ulcer.
People may just become more truthful to you and that has lots of advantages. You’ll worry less about whether others are telling you lies.
By being a truthful person, you’ll become more persuasive. People will trust you more. It’s ironic, but truthful people get more of what they want in life and if you get what you want you have less to stress about.
By being truthful, you’ll sleep better, eat healthier and consequently, you’ll look better.
To Stay Healthy, Stay Honest
Remember, whether you call them fibs, white lies, or exaggerations, if it isn’t the whole truth..it’s a lie.
We don't often realize that something as simple as the words we chose, can make us ill, but it's true. Lies will eventually eat you alive; the truth will support and nourish your mind, body and spirit.
So don’t jeopardize your mental and physical well-being by letting fear rule your actions and choice of words. Lies will enslave you...and as the saying goes, "The truth will set you free".
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Green Lotus is television writer, producer and performer, Hillary Miles. After a long career in the media, she now finds time to write about her...
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Wow Lilly -that was fast. You are so welcome and thanks for the kind comments.
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This is a wonderful hub. I shall copy it and send it to my ex-wife :-))
Ah yes Grasshopper...Green Lotus woman always speaks truth.
[A little paraphrasing from the old Kung Fu TV series]. LOL.
Anyway, another excellent hub my dear. It's absolutely true about honesty and truth enabling you to get what you want, especially if you can make it seem honestly, and mutually beneficial to the other person, in the process.
You can't make friends by lying anyway...it always comes back to bite you sooner or later. Meanwhile, you'll have lost their trust, likely forever.
Yes, definitely, it does affect more than your health. It affects your access to universal truths.
Thanks, Green Lotus.
De Greek - Ha Ha! Glad to be of service as always :) :) I wish I had the nerve to send this to a few on my list as well.
Hi timorous - Ah Kung Fu, one of my old time favorites. Getting what you want is such an interesting subject. Like you, I choose to use honesty and making things beneficial to the other person over lying to manipulate. I've fallen into the trap of helping others by falling for their lies as they are often really tough to detect. Thanks for stopping by tim!
Melinda - You are so welcome. It's so true.. serious liars who have destroyed their relationships, their health and their spirituality.
Hey GL, masterful look at a freeing truth. Lies are like puppies with a chewing fixation, they seem so innocent when you first welcome them into your life, but soon they require a great deal of following after, cleaning up of the mess they create and you are never at ease because you are always wondering what damage they may be causing next. =:)
Yes, dear Hillary, you are so right. "The truth will set you free." But first, it may make you miserable.
For example: your best friend asks, "What do you think of my new outfit?" The truth? She looks terrible in it - like an elephant - in fact, like a pregnant elephant. So you lie.
Tell your friend the truth and you may lose your friend. But tell a lie, and you may lose her anyway when some more truthful person answers her question.
Grat Hub with really wonderful information at many levels. I have learnt a lot from this Hub which confirms a lot of my experience.
Trust is such a vital element in relationships too, and is impossible when there are lies.
Love and peace
Tony
Winsome - What a brilliant analogy! Puppies indeed. Maybe that's why I don't have any!
Doc you've hit on the perfect example of the white-lie dilemma! Having immersed myself in the writing of this Hub I've come out a truth-teller at all costs. I do think sometimes a bit of humor can soften the blow especially when dealing with friend. I've been know to say, "do you want the truth, or a half-truth"? :) Sometimes we lie to protect people, but we never get away from ourselves or as you say, the consequences of being found out. -GL
tonymac- Hello and thank you. Experience is our best teacher as is knowing who to select as friends, (even if they are relatives). Love and Peace to you too.
I think this is a very excellent hub as lying can keep you tied up in knots. I agree that the truth will set you free. I think sometime you don't have to lie when you don't want to hurt someones feelings but you can say some meaningless phrase without answering a question directly, such as I need to think about that, or Maybe you are right. Maybe that's a cop out for lying but I think it might be kinder at times.
Don't we have enough in life to worry about that's the real deal. Why complicate matters. There is a fine line between lying and being SC (socially correct). Telling the truth has it's place... on the witness stand, and when the recipient desperately needs reawakening. Great Hub GL. All the best, Ciao!
Terrific. More than wise; very educational as well. Your theme is well supported with practical fact. Thanks.
Pam - I love your "cop out" lines as substitutes for telling a white lie! Thanks and thanks too for the kind words :)
Jai- Lying just adds stress (and illness) to one's life. You're right..who needs that! I think staying within the fine line of being "socially correct" won't destroy your sanity or health as will deceitful lies. Ciao my friend.
Wrath - I really appreciate your feedback and you are also most welcome. Good to see you here!
Wow! This was fantastic! I have a 17 year old son who has been caught in several lies having to do with where he was and what he was doing. It amazed me that even when confronted with proof he was lying, he still insisted he was not. This led to much anxiety for him, culminating with a tearful breakdown. I told him, as upset as I was with his actions, it was his lies that concerned me most. I want him to read this! I'm glad I did! We don't usually think of the health implications associated with lying. Rated up and awesome!
All so true!
My husband has a placard on his desk, a Mark Twain quote, that reads, "Tell the truth and you don't have to remember anything."
fred- Your comment means the world to me as I feel I have done someone some small service. I do hope your son gets to read this all the way through as the reasons to "tell the truth" can be very empowering. Much thanks and best of luck.
Dzy LOL!! I love that quote..so easy to remember too :)
I love your spiritually minded hubs! I think that it really actually hurts to lie ~ and it hurts even more to be lied to. The truth usually does will-out, does it not? So might as well tell the truth ~ Thanks, Green Lotus!!
Hey GL,
Excellent points about guilt and anxiety. Nothing I can argue with there. Oh, remember when I said there's nothing I can argue with? I was lying:
When I was a Catholic, I refused to say anything remotely untrue, and people who knew this, like my mother, used it against me, often cruelly, causing me embarrassment and discomfort. There are times when people have no business asking you the questions they're asking and to say "I don't want to answer" can be the equivalent to an admission--at those times, I think one is morally justified in lying and shouldn't feel guilty for it. We should be free to reveal information at our own pace. A policy of always telling the whole truth strips us of that legitimate freedom to privacy. Not every lie, after all, is to cover up some shameful activity. Sometimes we just don't want certain people to know certain things and are totally justified in feeling this way. So there are times when lying is a justifiable move that needn't and shouldn't entail guilt or anxiety.
I loathe lying, because I love knowledge. But I loathe guilt and anxiety more than lying. So here's my advice to the kids: If you're going to lie, do it without guilt and anxiety; remember that lying is an adventure, so just enjoy the journey and don't worry about the destination. hehehe
For sure, there is a mind-body connection between how your thoughts affect your physical body. I do believe that harmful lies are harmful to health. When you tell a "harmful lie", there is always some guilt (whether you are conscious of it or not). Chronic guilt would eventually have effect on the body. (The only exception are those who are diagnosed as clinical psychopaths -- by definition, they do not and can not feel guilt when they lie or manipulate others.)
I make a distinction here between "harmful lie" and "white lie". "White lie" is different from "harmful lie". The difference is all in the intent. If your intent is to harm, manipulate, or achieve own gains by lying, then it is a "harmful lie". If your intent is to help, then it is a "white lie".
Wow what a great hub and you made some very valid points here about lying and how stressful it is to keep the lie going when it is much easier to just tell the truth. Great lesson here and great read very well written. Cheers.
tracy- Being caught in a lie does tend to reduce your credibility, often to zero and as you say being lied to does little to support a healthy relationship. Good to see you here and thanks.
Arthur - I always appreciate your comments and alternative viewpoints. Thanks for sharing your experience about an instance where telling the truth had a negative impact on a relationship. I suppose not everyone (meaning the other person) is ready or willing to hear the truth or is intelligent enough not to be judgmental. Being brutally honest can affect a relationship, no denying that. Your comment about privacy is quite valid, especially when one is intimidated into revealing information that would be incriminating. Lying is always a form of self-protection and your gut instinct is your best guide as to whether it's the right choice. Of course it's always good to look at the payoff. My gut instinct would be to get away from those who belittle us for telling the truth. Cheers!
peaceful - Thanks for your insightful words. There will always be a distinction between a harmful lie and a white lie and every situation is no doubt different. The fact remains they are both forms of untruthful communication. They both have some impact on a relationship and on oneself. Only time will prove whether the lie was helpful or harmful.
As an example, I've often pondered over whether I would try to protect a fragile relative from devastating news buy telling a "white lie". I think it may be helpful at first, but I'd loose sleep worrying about keeping the secret going. Sometimes even those white lies can come back to slap us when we least expect it.
ladyjane - Glad to see you agree. It seems for most of us, lying is a stress producing act. Telling the truth may bring on some heavy consequences but I do agree with you, most of the time lying has greater repercussions. Cheers to you!
I like the way you've tied up honesty with health. I wish we could teach our children from the time they are very young that the way of truth is always the less tangled, easier way. And teach them to have courage to tell the truth out loud. Wonderful hub, Green Lotus!
I always appreciate your comments Shalini. Much thanks. I think if a lesson is to be learned, one has to point to the many benefits of doing things truthfully. Cheers.
Wow! What a good news! I am always sincere: for me it is easier this way: I can not keep in live a lie. But I did not know that this is useful to stay healthy... So Thank you for sharing this!
fucsia - Much obliged! So glad you agree and thanks for becoming a follower.
wow good point of views. . .I felt guilty when I read this coz sometimes I commited this kind of mistake, I lied! lol Yeah you are right. Being open and genuine can keep you at peace all the time. Thank you so much for sharing, it's an eye opener. http://healthyflat.com
hi daphne - It takes a lot to admit to lying, but we've all done it at one time or another. Just a bad habit to get into. Glad to be of help
Green Lotus- This was great! I myself have one of those very expressive faces that belies the lie.......... so I don't. In raising my children......... they found out quickly that my anger over their attempts to lie was far worse than my anger would have been over any truth they could ever have told me.......... so our relationships are quite honest. We have an agreement amongst us that if we're asked a question we have to tell the truth, but to be very sure we really want to know the answer before we ask........... at times that's been difficult, but in the long run it's been one of the best agreements we've ever made.
I visited my daughter in the spring, and her every action told me that something just wasn't right. Finally, I asked, "is there something you need to tell me?' Well, there was, and she told me, and I by no means enjoyed hearing it, but I'm happy I did. She'd never lied to me because she doesn't, but what she had kept from me had been eating her up inside........... had she lied; it would still be doing just that.
Great Hub............ insightful and full of great advice............ rated up ~ Kaie
Kaie- If only all parents adopted your attitude, there would be a lot more happier, well adjusted people in the world :)
I think we all experiment with lying at an early age and everyone has a different experience. Whatever that experience, it makes us who we are today. Thanks for sharing your story. ((hugs)) GL
I never tough about this topic seriously until I read your hubs. Actually it's very logic and make sense to much lies have direct relationship to bad health.
GL,
Interesting Hub as usual. I can tell you think about this from the heart. I too consider honesty to be the very best policy. Besides, by telling truths its really no effort to keep your story straight! Except of course when your memory is failing...but that's the subject of another Hub!
Jemmy - I'm glad you came by for the read and do hope to have shared some logical info. Stay healthy!
WE5 - Good to see you again and I agree, telling the truth is easier than lying in the long run. When memory begins to fail you, lying becomes even more difficult :)
Great Hub.
Well, altough, if other person lies, he/she will never belive that somebody else is honest and telling the truth...but honesty (at first towards oneself) helps a lot.
Thank you for nice article.
This is a great hub! Telling the truth is 100% better than lying! This is some great information on the health benefits for telling the truth. You have great detail and backing facts! Thanks for the hub!
tatjana - Honesty does begin with oneself! I do think liars also are distrustful of others. Thank you for reading and commenting with such thoughtful words.
B Stucki - I'm pleased to meet you and happy you found this so confirming. There really are a lot of facts to back it up the whole health issue and the consequences of lying :)
I guess the really important thing is to distinguish between lies and fibs - the latter often being a necessary 'evil' to protect others. Is that fair?
culturespain - Thanks for commenting. I mentioned in an earlier response that telling a fib to "protect others" can also backfire, so one has to tread delicately and hope not to get caught. There are always consequences.
Also, we sometimes "leave out" certain bits of information, which we may consider less relevant to the situation...just to avoid embarrassment for ourselves or offending or hurting other people's feelings.
This isn't exactly lying, as you're not making anything up. Much like the 'little white lies' scenario.
You have to choose carefully, and try and be diplomatic...it's tricky.
Green Lotus you are so right. I believe in that as well.
You must believe and practice the same things I do. Good for us. I liked it a lot. Keep writing. I write too, if go to my blog anabarrosolove.com
Hi, I know one thing, you have to have a great memory for lying, as you say it's definitely not good for your health! I have had to lie quite a few times in the past to keep the peace in my house and I know how stressful it can be! so true! lol thanks nell
Brilliant hub! I love this take! I'm bookmarking this!
Brilliant!!!
Great hub GL!
Once you tell a lie, you have to tell another lie to cover it or to explain it, and then the cycle goes on. Then you begin to start believing in your lie and everything becomes blurred. So you are absolutely right - lying can affect your health! I love the way you tied that up.
The truth may hurt but it's always liberating.
Thanks for this wonderful hub GL!
What a great way to attack a more serious but popular subject.
A true blue piece of sharing. Thanks. Truth is strength, joy, divine and eternal. Through lying, a coward seeks pleasure and short-term escape by cheating self through payoffs most harmful in long run. Containing 'bitter' truth is wisdom, requires humility, detachment and forgiveness, and is not difficult to practice; expands your heart like an ocean. Enjoy and spread the message.
Query - Use of pseudonym? Comment pls.
timorous- Hello! I forgot about lying by "leaving it out"! That's a tricky one... it's up there (or just above) refusing to answer an intimidating question. Sometimes we just have to do what our gut tells us. Thanks for contributing here :)
Ana - Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words. I will check out your spot too.
Hi Nell! I've been there myself at times and have learned a few lessons too! Sometimes it's really difficult to weigh the payoff of telling a lie or a fib, but I think you get 10 points for pondering before striking.
Bonnebarton - You are so kind to say that Bonne and I'm honored by the bookmark!
Daydreamer - Hello!....and nice to meet you. Glad you enjoyed the read.
Hello jill - You are so right and I'm glad you brought up the cycle of lies (sounds like a B movie). I do know a few people who lie so often they really do believe their own lies. I think they call them "pathological liars". After a while you can spot them coming. Thanks for your wise words.
ellewoods - Thank you too for checking it out! Stay healthy :)
Anil- Always happy to share especially if I can inspire people to stay healthy and think along more positive lines. Likewise, it makes me feel good if I can help others so it's reciprocal.
I chose my pseudonym because I am vested in all things green (especially green energy) and I aspire to the spiritual symbolism behind the lotus blossom. Namaste!
Nice hub, thanks!
One should consider that it takes "mental real estate" to stay consistant with a lie.
On the other hand, I see little harm when saying "Yeah, sure", when someone is downhearted and fishing for a compliment. Perhaps when their spirits are up will I say what I really think--and with quite a bit more sensitivity than Simon Cowell!
The accepted norm today, in this country, is to lie. During a training at a corporation near where I live, we were instructed to lie to the customer to get the response we needed. We were polled to see how many of us think it is OK to lie and to see how many of us have lied to a customer service rep to get our own way. I believe I was the only person to answer no to both questions. I am no longer with that company as I cannot Sacrifice my religious Beliefs for something so basic and straight from the 10 Commandments. This article is good and should open a few eyes. Illness is rampant in this country due to the need to make money by the medical community. I agree... lieing (by the medical community) can make you ill!
great hub. this is the way to teach the adults not to lie.
I love this hub and the way you supported what you were saying with the scientific evidence. However, I do think there are people (sociopaths) who actually get a rush from telling lies and getting away with escaping the truth. It just doesn't phase them that there are consequences to their health or their karma.
Keeping healthy and honest, very good advice! :-)
Laura- "mental real estate", now there's a clever concept! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, it's always appreciated.
sarmak- So nice to see you here. I can't believe a corporation would instruct people to lie! That's not to say I think you are lying as I'm sure you are truthful :) Glad you decided to leave that situation. Peace!
bushraismail - Thank you for stopping by to comment!
Hi M Selvey - I know people just like those you describe (unfortunately) and they are the most difficult. Sometimes it's best to walk away from them and as you say, leave them to their own karmic end.
Lotus, it's true and you are so right. Telling lies greatly affects one's health. You seem simple yet this write up is deeep so. perhaps we could mingle for the sake of deep thoights.
Yes! I agree with you 100%. A useful hub! Thanks for sharing!I am going to share this on twitter, i hope you do not mind.
Peace and Blessings!
Underworld-Craft - Thank you and it's good to meet you. A warm welcome to HP.
Lightuponlight - So glad you found this useful. Peace to you as well. Much thanks for the tweet too!!:)
Nice hub and very inspiring, my friend. This is about heart. We can't lie and cheat our heart. When we try to hurt our heart it give bad impact. The effect is absolutely not good for our health. I heard that the disease also come from our mind. And it proven by many people. They wouldn't happy. right! Vote this UP.
Prasetio
Hi Green Lotus, as a parent, I am making sure that the kids don't fall into the habit of lying. Although it's difficult at times, I agree that honesty will make the world much better for everyone. Thanks for this great hub.
Cheers!
Papa Sez
prasetio- Hello my friend and thanks for contributing your wise words here. The heart is very much a part of the whole mind body connection, perhaps it is at its center, for lying has the potential to destroy love. Thanks for the vote too:)
Papa Sez - Welcome and I appreciate reading your words. Although coming clean can be really difficult at times, especially for youngsters, it's best they experience the stress of lying before it becomes habit forming, as well as the many benefits of telling the truth. Cheers to you too!
Words of wisdom! Thanks for sharing.
stevemark- thanks and nice to meet you!
There are so many reasons why a person will lie. You have covered many of them here. Lying to me is harmful to ones health. I never feel good about myself if I am forced into even a white little lie. They always come back to haunt us and catch us up in the end.
If life was so perfect we wouldn't have to expose ourselves to games that all humans play. Stretching the truth is one thing, however telling huge lies for self gain and ego trips is totally unacceptable behavior.
I try never to lie, but I would be lying if I told you i didn't lie occasionally, but they are teensy weensy little guys that shouldn't count and be held against me. Right Lord? lol
saddlerider you are too funny. You know I would never hold anything against you. (I do believe that's that punchline for a naughty joke) All aside, what you are saying makes a lot of sense. No one's perfect... and sane, caring people usually know where to draw the line when it comes to stretching the truth. Thanks!
I don't know why you are talking about lying, for some don't have any reason to lie, nor stretch the truth. For what it is worth. I have nothing to lie about.
Denise sounds like you are doing the right thing. Many don't realize that lying can affect your health.
What an interesting hub. It is really uncomfortable to lie even when you are trying to protect someone's feelings.It constantly amazes me how the human body and mind works. Thanks for a good read!
byarea- Glad you found this one interesting. Much thanks!
great hub.. i have a hard time trusting people because i've caught them in lies so many times
2pretty1- Thanks for commenting here and for your kind words.
When someone continually lies to you it becomes impossible believe them even if they tell the truth. I have great difficulty trusting those people too!
...not worried about my health being affected - because plain and simple - your hubs are terrific!
epigraman - You are so kind to say so!
if it's so bad for your health
how come Cheney, Dubya, Rove, Rumsfeld etc are still up and running?
They told some big lies too!
Joe...who said they were in great health? LOL
Green Lotus this is a really good article, have voted, and tweeted!
adrienne so nice of you to stop by for the read. Your tweet and vote is greatly appreciated. Cheers!
Interesting stuff! A person's conscience is certainly related to his/her physical and mental health. Moreover, it has been rightly said that "a person who is fond of telling lies must have a good memory".
linda- i'd say "a person who is fond of telling lies BETTER have a good memory!!" Thanks!
An excellent hub and enjoyed reading it.
There's probably one thing which beats lying and that's telling the truth with bad intent.
Telling the truth isn't easy but it's always the right thing to do. It's our fears that cause some of us to cover up, makes excuses - essentially lie to escape the consequences of something that we were responsible for.
If we can just have the courage to 'suffer' the short-term pain of confessing then we won't have to endure the destructive long-term consequences of what lying can do to our mental and physical well-being.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts.
Cheers and God bless!
I do like the way you think. I will definitely ponder over "telling the truth with bad intent". You must Hub about that one rich! I need to learn more!
What a wonderful article. So accurate in my opinion. A good liar has to live the lie completely and they also have to have a very good memory! It is sometimes difficult to tell the truth but it is definitely the best policy I believe. A small lie can grow into a much bigger one and then it can become a health problem with all the stress it may cause. I hasten to add that I am not commenting from experience but that is how I view it! Always tell the truth how ever much it hurts is far better in the long run! Great hub here. Voted up and pressed your tabs!
acaetnna so nice to meet you and thanks for adding some wisdom to this Hub!
WOW THAT IS REALLY A GREAT ADVICE I REALLY APPRECIATED IT THANKS...
roshanmaz you are most welcome!
Good hub! I want to come back and read all the comments soon. :)
One of my favorite quotes is, "Truth invites scrutiny, error demands tolerance."
RTalloni- Love that quote!...and yes I agree the comments are worth the read - very inspiring. Thanks!
Oh wow. i loved this..
im 16 in africa and i have been chosen at my school as one of the best speakers and i am going to speak about this topic next week, your "essay" had alot of good points that i can include in my speech.. oh em gee im so excited.. well done! :)
bree - This is one of the nicest comments I've ever received! So glad to have inspired you and much luck with your speech.
Wonderfully written hub,Green Lotus
I concur,telling lies can affect your health,soI keep it truthful at all times,and I know my truth,I stand on my truth.When people lie on me or talk about me in attempt to make me look bad,it's nothing.
Telling lies is stressful it wears and tears on your body and on your spirit.You may not realize it at the time but it can manifest in many physical ways.
Having MS I don't need any stress in my life.
kethyjewel - You a are most welcome and so glad you agree!
Rastamermaid - You have echoed my words with wisdom. I appreciate the visit.
Great info. The truth shall set you free.
I could be tempted to start a philosophical debate here about the core difference between "truth" and a "lie" - given that if you repeat a lie enough times, it will eventually become the truth in your experience...
dave- That's interesting and yes I agree, pathological liars do honestly believe what they say is the truth. Whether it's healthy is another question.
I agree lying affects your health. I'm sure a person does eventually feel guilty about it and they get that sickening feeling when someone brings up the piece of information they lied about because they know deep down inside that it wasn't the truth. And to get away from the sickening feeling, they have to tell the truth. Nice hub!
Carl - Thanks! Those who feel guilty and own up are the lucky ones. I really think habitual lying is a sickness not unlike any addiction.
Just don't lie.
As much as I love this hub (and I do) I loved all of the many comments even more. I say that because of the professional and inspiring way you handle some of the comments. You, GL, are a master! You have a talent with words, that's for sure.
The following phrase, " a person who lies continuously will eventually face anxiety, depression, physical illness and even psychological illness.", is well stated. Great info!
VocalCoach- Many thanks! I have not visited this Hub in a while so you inspired me to review the comments :) Sometimes it's true, the comments add to the "meat" of the article. Cheers!
is there any scientific research proving this?
although lying is not a good thing. There will surely comes a time that you have to lie for some good reasons and for the sake of other people. We lie because we do something wrong. I can say that it is natural to a human, we take advantage whenever it is available and for sure, we will make a sin if that happens.
Jill - Thanks for commenting here. The scientific study of lying is quite complex and has proven difficult to study, although most of us know that polygraphs determine if someone is lying by detecting heartrate and increased flow of body chemicals such as cortisol.
My research involved the review of medical information relating to the affects of cortisol and Norephinephrine, and the bodies "fight or flight response" all of which occur when one is lying. Scientific endeavors on the effects of telling lies are usually focused on the likely consequences of particular actions, which may be helpful in weighing alternatives.
You may enjoy these articles:
Scientific American Mind Sept 2011
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healt
Neil F. Neimark, M.D. at www.TheBodySoulConnection.com
naturalsolutions - I agree with you when you say it is human natural human instinct to lie when we are trying to protect ourselves and others. In doing so, we take the chance that we will not be "found out". If we are caught in a lie (even a white lie), our bodies do experience stress, guilt and all the negatives associated with that state. It is those chemical reactions that do the most damage. Thank you for your interest in this article.
I agree with this hub wholeheartedly as I am an advocate of speaking the truth. I can assuredly rest at night knowing and am feeling peaceful. :)
ripplemaker- Good to see you and thanks for commenting. The truth may not always be easy, but it is what is. Anything else is a lie, or call it a smokescreen or a feel-good placebo that never lasts. Peace to you!
Thanks for the great article! Lying makes everything so much harder, telling the truth keeps you happy, healthy, and honest! :)
I agree with NotPc. Lying makes everything so much harder and it gives pain in the heart, perhaps because guilt is constant in every lie. Nothing beats telling the truth, nothing to hold back.
This is a great hub. My boyfriend cheated on me for almost half of our relationship and I couldn't help but think about him as I read this. This was very informative and has awesome advice!
i enjoyed reading this. but i do have to say that i've known many unaffected liars in my time...i think it all depends on whether or not the liar has a conscience eating away at him/her.
great hub green lotus! I never knew lying could affect someone's health, until I read your informative hub. But for me, there are things that you might consider as helpful when saying the untruth. In the sense, I am afraid to hurt somebody's feeling, and perhaps there is an exact time, for that, for telling the truth. Anyways, I really enjoy reading the entire hub, that is the truth :)
I agree with your hub. If someone tells a lie, guilt is always be with him and if this will continue it will definitely affect his mental and psychological aspects which in the end will trigger his health.
Green Lotus, wow wee what an informative hub you have written about how lying can affect ones health. It raises a question, people who are habitual liars do you feel they could possibly need some type of theraphy to stop. Now I have another question; can lying be addictive? Just asking because I know a person who just lies all the time for no reason.
You're right about that, telling the truth is much easier on you in the long run.
Good points, and telling lies to your physician such as "I'm a nonsmoker" or "I exercise regularly" isn't good for your health either.
Your hub was terrible!
Dang, I'm not doing it again...
Sorry, I lied. Your hub is fantastic! I agree with you in a lot of what you said. Lying can get out of control, especially for the wrong reasons. But what about "white lies". You know, the lies you create to spare others (not yourself) from the truth. Maybe it would be better in some situations to withhold the truth than to expose it. Just some thoughts?
NotPc- Thanks for commenting here and for your supporting remarks. Sorry for the delay in my response, but I didn't get a notice about all these recent comments :(
Tonipet - How can I not agree with you? I'd be lying :) A lie will get you in the end.
LisaK - I too couldn't help but think about someone in my life who constantly lies. It can totally destroy a relationship. Hope you have found a more truthful guy!
smzclark - It's difficult to lump everyone into a category. All I could go on was the general statistics within my research, but I'm sure there are people with psychological issues who aren't fazed by deceiving people. I know there are worse people out there.
dui - Several readers have made a similar comment about telling "white lies". I know it's hard to pain someone with the truth, and it's your decision, but it still can have consequences if the truth comes out later.
mybiznet - I can see we are in agreement! Nice to meet you and thanks for the comment.
adrienne- There are all kinds of liars, sociopaths, habitual liars, pathological liars, narcissistic liars, compulsive liars - the list goes on and the internet is filled with information (some good some bad). I'm not a psychiatrist but I do believe anyone who continually lies for whatever reason is in need of guidance. All I can say is that it's just not a healthy condition.
Karen - Glad you enjoyed this Hub and thanks for commenting.
doodlebugs - Ha-Ha! Good one. Lying to your doctor is like lying to yourself.
kripkrip - You had me going there for a while :) I even got that burning sensation that follows an acidic comment. Whew. Glad you found this worthwhile :)
Nice hub, very original, very useful, and should be read by all those who think they are going to lie
Hi marwan asmar - I appreciate your comment. Knowing the health consequences can make a difference! Thanks.
Very Good thoughts.
The guilt followed by the "lie" certainly demoralises ones almost every internal system. As for me, the Brain is present everywhere in the body as it touches every cell by it's nerve endings. The whole of nervous system is part of the Brain. Hence the Brain constantly recieves almost about every detail happening in the body at the celular level. Vice versa the Brain too sends signals to the cells about what happens to it when we think, cry, be happy or lie. There is a sure effect of the knowledge recieved by brain whatever it be, on the cell and hence on the body. The curse of a lie, be it a small or a big lie, can be removed from the body only after one takes the "Moral Punishment" or what's called in Indian cultural context as a "Prayaschitta" by doing good deeds, good behaviour, good donations and good human practice etc.
I have wrote a booklet (in Marathi Language) on the relation of Good Behaviour and Our Health.
I really liked your hub.
Thanks
You are right, it's so much easier to tell the truth instead of telling lies. I also think that perpetual liars suffer from a lack of self-worth therefore they choose to undermine their integrity. Life should be simple. Simplify, simplify, simplify.
Not covered in your Hub was how dangerous lying is for your soul. Many consider sin as something evil but it is the recognition of sin and over coming it that promotes real spiritual growth. Not all sins are evil but it is the multitude of sins that destroy our lives. A lie becomes a greater lie and eventually leads to so many lies that we suffer for them and eventually find ourselves unable to overcome them. Our society promotes lies on a grand scale but at some point one has to determine if the lie is worth our soul.Sometimes we suffer great penalties on Earth for telling the truth in order to live a life in Heaven.
doctorayurveda - I really enjoyed your comment and I totally agree with your thoughts on the brain's "relationship" with the entire body. I have a few other hubs that mention this theory. Thanks too for offering a wise antidote to lying. Performing good deeds and showing forgiveness can be very healing! Namaste.
waes-hael - I have known a few liars who also display a lack of self-worth. Your observations have a lot of truth to them. Thanks for stopping by.
SanXuary - Thanks for posting your interesting thoughts. I'm sure a lot of readers can relate! My listening on this subject does not come from my spiritual beliefs, but is based on scientific studies; still,I agree, telling the truth can get you into a lot of trouble with unenlightened souls!
An interesting hub. As many others have commented, I’ve made clear to my kids that if they do something they feel ashamed of lying will make them feel worse, and I’d much rather they tell me. They usually do eventually.
But I think it’s the lies we tell ourselves that cause most damage. How many people tell themselves, “I’ll only have one piece of cake/one drink/I’ll only skip one exercise class” or even “I’ll only reply to my comments, I won’t go on the forum”, when they know deep down that it’s not true? This kind of lie eats away at self-esteem, soul, everything, yet how many of us can say have never done this and not be telling a lie? Honesty with yourself will naturally lead to honest with others.
Very nice and interesting article. Voted up!
Melovy- Great comment! You've made a good point that lying to yourself can be just as destructive. It's all about self-integrity and as you say, honesty.
bangingbeauty - Nice to meet you too and thanks for the vote up :)
Love the hub! You make a lot of really valid points. I think some people don't realise that sometimes the lies they tell, no matter how small they might seem to them at the times, can actually have a devastating effect on someone else's life.
I live in a small seaside town that thrives on gossip, and embellish that gossip with "lies" without thought of the impact it could have on another person, is reckless.
It is hard for children to learn not to tell lies when they listen to their parents "gossip" with the odd "lie" thrown in for good measure.
But great hub - voted up!
Mary
Mary - It's true and you did make me smile when you refer to the "local gossips". Lies develop so easily when the storyteller gets a bit too creative! Reminds me of a few old movies with the same theme. Thanks for stopping by.
What if someone lied because if they were to tell the truth about what happened, they were gaurenteed to ruin their life? The other person doesn't currently KNOW about the situation but if they WERE to find out it would be devastating. If lying about it was the only way to save each others happiness because there'd be no other way of finding out then is that necessarily bad? I feel like sometimes you have to lie. Not only because it can benefit you but because it can save people hardship and misery.
There are many reasons why people lie. If you are lying for altruistic reasons I can only assume that negative consequences will be averted. Your own life experience will be the prove of the matter. Truly loving intentions can be rewarded but If you are found out you may still find yourself in a stressful situation. Best of luck.
whenever I tell a lie, I feel guilty all the time, and it happen so often with me.you hub inspired me.thanks.voted up!
Agree! So much truth to this. Always helpful to understand how or why we react in some way. Thanks!
maxravi- Most people are in the same boat maxravi, but you will find, people will respect you more for telling the truth. Thanks for the vote!
ThinBen - Nice to meet you and I'm glad you found this Hub helpful. Cheers!
Telling lies can also affect your lie detector test results. ;)
Kxdory ha!.. I hope I don't have to test that one out! Thanks for the visit.
Great hub. It confirms what I have always believed that telling the truth is the best policy in life. But it is difficult to stay honest in a world where our politicians lie and the economic elite who hold worldly power say and do whatever they like, often lying through their teeth without conscience to millions of people. I guess all we can do as individuals is be true to ourselves and let others take responsibility for their own actions... although I do believe that lying has huge karmic repercussions
Tash - Yes I agree, if you are impervious to guilt as many self-trained deceivers are, I too believe Karma will get you in the end! Thanks for the visit!
Thank you for sharing. :D Lies would get you to the bottom of too much stress. Not good, really! Voted up!
thesingernurse- You are most welcome! Thanks for the vote too :)
beautiful and insightful,one of my committments for this year is to tell the truth no matter what,i realise when you tell a lie,you dont hurt on you but others you believed.
tajhmahal - Thank you for your kind comment. Your resolution will prove valuable. Good luck and Namaste.
What year and month was this published?
-Thanks
Rabeka - This was originally published 7/29/10. The first comments to appear on Hubpages articles usually indicate the approximate date of publication.
Hi Green Lotus,
Nice hub, very original, very useful, and should be read by all those who think they are going to lie .... thanks for the wonderful share .... Me too sometimes get fear of telling the truth .... but great share ..... my vote up ......
Great hub! and so true. I'm glad I got caught with my white lies when I was younger. ;) I didn't get away with much so I've learned not to lie...Too much :) Voted up!
Lies and guilt always walk together and tease each other.
Java Programs - Sorry for the late response, but I did not receive notice of my latest comments. I really appreciate your vote and I'm happy you found this article of interest.
emilybee- Getting caught teaches us valuable lessons. You were lucky to have that experience at an early age! Thanks for your vote up!
dayakthinker- Welcome and much thanks. I agree, Guilt can be bad for your health too!
I lied and didnt mean to it just came out now i have to write a 3 page paper about lying i am not helping myself what do i do?
Daniel - You can do it! Perhaps you have learned something from this article. Feel free to quote Green Lotus on a few of the points made.
Thanks! :)
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It is much easier to tell the truth, sleeping at night, looking in the mirror - Priceless...Great Hub. Thank you.