José Antonio Avilés and other pathological liars

In recent weeks, the case of José Antonio Avilés, television collaborator and contestant of Survivors (Telecinco). We have been able to listen to various recordings and testimonies of multiple people who have allegedly been swindled by him, with stories of the most varied and most gruesome fables. Since Alleged forgeries of bank transfers or university degrees to implicate producers or characters, who claim not to have seen him in his life, in plots to get clothes, objects or economic benefits for non-existent or false exclusives.

The situation has reached such a point that several collaborators of television programs have considered that the situation goes beyond the picaresque and borders on the pathological or sick. They are not without reason. The mythomaniac antisocial personality, whose patients are called 'pathological liars', is well known within mental disorders and It is included within their classification (DSM-5)This could be a case.

It is characteristic of her the make up crazy stories in which the protagonist claims to have been in places, events or have different professions, etc. Most varied. In general, all these fabricated situations are related to famous people like politicians or actors and they place the protagonist in a situation of power or nonexistent wealth. In general, this personality is the consequence of an inferiority complex or some childhood trauma that tries to compensate with fables of power or fame and seeks to gain acceptance from others. People with this disorder are addicted to lying and can do it very well, being able to do it on any triviality in a very credible way.

Recently we have known, through the media, supposedly similar cases like that of 'little Nicolas' or Anna Allen, the actress who invented a brilliant career in Hollywood. But there have also been other very striking ones outside our borders. The of Alicia Esteve, who said she had been in the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York and became the representative of a September 11 victims' association. Or the dramatic case of Jean-Claude Romand, who posed as a doctor and researcher of the World Health Organization and ended up murdering his children, wife and parents when the plot was about to be discovered.

Damage to third parties

The clinical entity is not well defined but, in general, people with these personality traits have lack of guilt for causing harm to third parties or for the negative consequences of their actions. They have one great trickster ability, superficial character and high self-esteem. They have generally had poor schooling and interpersonal relationships based on lies and doomed, most of the time, to failure. Sometimes the fabulator comes to believe his own fantasies, their intention being to form a false identity. Other times it is done more consciously or immediately, to achieve a benefit or prevent them from being controlled, this is the most typical way.

Personality tests

It is difficult for these people to realize what is happening to them and seek help on their own, hence the importance of family support, parents or partners, or the close environment. Many times they do it only when they are unmasked and they can lie and deny what is happening very vehemently to their environment or to the specialist that takes care of them, denying any problem.

In addition, the results of the therapies, which are based on reinforcing self-esteem, are not usually very effective since the patients lie and they claim to be well and recovered when they are not. Logically, to make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to carry out an exhaustive medical history, complementary tests and various instruments such as personality tests.