Pinocchio Syndrome: What It Is, Symptoms, Causes And Treatment

On many occasions, Pinocchio syndrome is mentioned as a symptom of gelotophobia due to emotional coldness, gestural petrification of the face, as well as “clumsy” movements with the body as an association with the physical characteristics of a wooden doll that managed to come to life. thanks to the story by Carlo Collodi published between 1882 and 1883.

Without further ado, Pinocchio syndrome is also used in psychiatry to designate mythomania or pathological lying. Definition on which we will focus in this article: the person who is a mythomaniac or who has Pinocchio syndrome, usually lies spontaneously in order to obtain benefits such as attention or admiration, or to avoid punishment.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual on Mental Disorders in its fifth edition (DSM-V) tends to classify it within antisocial, histrionic, borderline, narcissistic personality disorder or even Münchausen syndrome, without considering it its own nosological entity.

Dupré (1990), on the other hand, gives us some keys to Pinocchio syndrome or mythomania:

• The story may be probable and have a certain relationship to reality.
• The “imaginary adventure” can manifest itself in various circumstances and in a lasting way.
• The themes are varied but the hero or victim is always the subject who narrates it.

People who suffer from Pinocchio syndrome or mythomania, in addition to the main symptom which would be spontaneous lying, usually present other associated symptoms:

• Very high anxiety levels.
• Recurring thoughts that encourage lying.
• Low self-esteem. Feelings of inferiority and low tolerance for frustration.
• Difficulties controlling impulses seen in difficulty controlling lies
• Positive reinforcement by not being discovered, making them feel satisfied and proud of it
• Lack of social skills.
• Progressive increase, as a result of positive reinforcement, in the number of lies emitted.
• Preserved judgment capacity. Although it is true that there has been controversy about whether or not these people are capable of recognizing their own lies, for now it is believed that despite the lack of impulse control, the capacity for judgment is preserved.
• Lack of acceptance of one’s own reality and difficulty in facing it in any other way.
• Escape from situations of guilt or feelings of emotional loss.

The onset of the typical symptoms of compulsive liars usually originates in adolescence, so that positive and social reinforcement makes the behavior chronic. Furthermore, as we always say from psychology, mental disorders have a double causality as a result of the interaction between genetics and environment.

In this specific case, in up to approximately 40% of the cases, CNS alterations and anomalies (central nervous system), such effects could include:

• Epilepsy.
• History of trauma or infection, such as tonsillitis.
• Altered electroencephalograms.
• Greater proportion of white matter in the frontal lobe of the brain, associated with greater disinhibition and less concern for moral aspects.
• Right hemitalamic dysfunction.

The treatment for Pinocchio syndrome or mythomania, since it is generally found within a larger clinical picture associated with other disorders, the treatment should be focused on these, being essential a psychotherapeutic treatment which, in some cases, could go accompanied by pharmacological treatment if there are associated anxious or depressive symptoms to treat.

In any case, it is important to make special mention of Schineider’s idea about the difficulty of treatment in this pathology. The author alludes to the difficulty that arises in working with these people since the falsity of his stories hinders the therapeutic relationship. Furthermore, in many cases the consultation with a professional has a medical-legal reason to be able to protect oneself from his or her actions.

If you found this article about Pinocchio syndrome or mythomania interesting, take a look at our posts on How to detect a liar? and Psychological profile of a lying person.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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