Lies harm relationships from "summary" of The Psychology of Lying and Detecting Lies by Bella DePaulo
When someone lies, it can have a damaging effect on relationships. Being dishonest with someone can ruin trust, cause resentment, and lead to more lies in the future. Honesty is key in any relationship, and it's important to be open and honest with each other.- Lying can damage trust and weaken the bond between two people. An untruthful statement can lead to hurt feelings, confusion, and cause long-term damage to relationships.
- A person who lies repeatedly doesn't just destroy any trust between themselves and the other person, but also jeopardizes the whole relationship.
- When someone lies, it might hide their true intentions or thoughts, leaving the other person unsure about how to respond or if they can trust them.
- Lies can generally make matters worse rather than better; they give the liar a (temporary. sense of control over the situation, but often result in misunderstandings and frustration.
- People may lie due to fear or to avoid an uncomfortable situation, but dishonesty almost always backfires and causes more harm in the long run.
- When a lie is discovered or suspected, it can leave one partner feeling betrayed, angry, and resentful towards the other.
- Deceit creates a barrier of distrust that makes communication harder, as well as making it difficult for both parties to feel open and honest with each other.
- Being honest is essential for having healthy, fulfilling relationships; while lies can provide quick fixes, they usually only deepen and complicate the problem.
