There are people who feel the need to lie in therapy because they are afraid of being judged or criticized by their therapist. According to a study in Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 93% of patients have said they lie in therapy. A true therapist will never judge you as you are in therapy for a reason and need the proper help for issues that are taking over your life.
How Do People Lie in Therapy?
Your therapist may ask you questions and you lie to them because you are afraid of the result of the answer. For example, your therapist may ask you if you are suicidal and you respond no even though you have been suicidal before. Your therapist may also ask you how much you drink a week and you lie and say a couple of times a week when it is much more than that. By continually lying to your therapist like this, you are presenting them with inaccurate information and you will not get the help you need. The same can be said if you act like nothing bad happened to you in the past. Then, your therapist will not know how your issues manifested.
Why Does it Feel Natural to Lie in Therapy?
People may lie in therapy in order to avoid confrontation. They may also want to please their therapist by telling them what they want to hear to avoid offending them or insulting their efforts. You also may want to believe that you are doing okay, so you lie to your therapist and yourself about your state of mind. There is also a giant stigma in issues like addiction or suicide where if you tell a therapist you have relapsed or attempted suicide again, you may fear punishment. If a therapist is not provided with good, accurate information, they cannot help you.
How Do You Stop Lying in Therapy?
You should first ask yourself why it is you feel the need to lie in therapy. It may also be that you do not have the best relationship with your therapist. If you feel like you have trust issues, you need to let your therapist know that so they help you fix that. If you feel like you are not in the right mindset to talk about a particular subject, say something. Your therapist will provide you with the best help possible by telling the truth.
At Alta Loma Transformational Living, you will meet knowledgeable, compassionate professionals that understand addiction in all its forms. Alta Loma uses an integrative and holistic approach to treat addiction and mental health issues. No treatment is one-size-fits-all, where you will have a team of experts prepared to create your customized treatment plan. We offer care for your mind, body, and spirit, so that you can heal from the inside out and look forward to a lifetime of sobriety and wellness. If you are ready to take the first step in your recovery, please call us at 866-457-3843.
