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How to trust someone again who has consistently lied?

246 Answers
Last Updated: 05/14/2023 at 1:19am
How to trust someone again who has consistently lied?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Polly Letsch, LCSW

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

I provide non-judgmental, person-centered, objective therapeutic treatment for individuals of all ages to improve social, emotional, mental and other areas of functioning.

Top Rated Answers
dancingTurtle59
November 18th, 2015 6:55am
it is hard to do but you have to keep believing they will stop and tell them telling the truth even if it is bad is better then telling a lie a lie will only make it even worse
brighteyesO71
November 20th, 2015 2:32pm
Personally, I wouldn't. If they lied once, they'll do it again. But that's just me. Trust issues...
krazeniks
November 21st, 2015 12:05pm
Trusting lies with ourselves if we wish to trust somebody or not but again a question lies what to do by trusting a liar ....are flattering him or a self harm.
Anonymous
March 24th, 2016 12:35pm
It's very hard to trust someone who constantly lies, but over time maybe that person can prove themselves and show they can change
Dannus
March 31st, 2016 2:40am
You don't have to, you can still be friends, but just be aware of the past, don't put them in a situation to lie, or... tell them you feel you cannot trust them because they lie so often, and that you are not sure where to go from here, see what they have to stay, use your intuition, you will be fine!
wonderfulCupcake00
April 23rd, 2016 2:37am
Lying is done by a person w/out trust it is done through words ; First I guess understand the trust issues ; make him/her trust you ; then verify through action,consistency and commitment. CONSISTENCY is very difficult.
Hayles0111
September 21st, 2016 10:00pm
I would personally find it extremely hard. Trust issues are common especially around those who have consistently lied in the past. Maybe starting afresh could be a positive start.
Anonymous
May 10th, 2017 10:31pm
It's admirable that you have a desire to rebuild trust with a habitual liar and it is undoubtedly hard to do so considering lost trust. Have you thought of seeking professional help? Perhaps with the person who has lied to you? That may be a good first step. Good luck!
Summer28
August 13th, 2017 2:00pm
Gaining back someones trust isn't easy and may take time. instead of looking for the things they lied about look for the things they tell the truth about. for example: sara- did you clear your place this morning bobby-yes *did clear his place* sara-thank you bobby im proud of you for telling the truth. What sara did is called positive reinforcement, bobby willnow be happy about the compliment and may want to get more by telling the truth more often
Anonymous
November 8th, 2017 1:22am
talk to them about how they can help you gain their trust again and tell them how their lies hurt you
helpfulKitty48
February 10th, 2018 6:32am
Get to know them all over again. Find their positive spots and decide if they are really willing to gain your trust again.
joyfulMoment29
April 25th, 2018 4:49pm
Error is always a error..but we are not robots to be 💯% accurate at things..yes if he did mistake 100 times forgive him all the 100 times and say u trust him..atleast he will realise 101 time...your trust is Ur weapon to stop him telling lies
Anonymous
June 16th, 2018 7:55pm
If the person is constantly lying it helps to reevaluate the relationship you have with them. If you choose to continue with the relationship try practicing forgiveness excersises.
Brittany8013
July 11th, 2018 3:20am
This is a very good question. Perhaps trying to understand why they lied will help. often times people who consistently lie, are looking for a sense of control. If they feel there lives are spiraling around them, it can cause them to lie in order to control the attention or reaction they get from others. Understanding why they are doing this can help build that trust again.
slimreaperr
July 12th, 2018 4:11am
Nobody can give you an easy answer to this question. You first need to decide whether it's worth having a relationship with this person at the risk of being lied to/hurt in the future. And if it is, then you can either dive into it, or tip toe back into it. Either which way, nobody is going to be able to promise you that this person is someone you can trust in the long run. You have to follow your gut on that one. And don't feel guilty if you want to ease gently back into the relationship instead of fully dive into it.
SeaShell55
July 13th, 2018 3:13am
After seeing someone willing to change and acting on that feeling is a comfort and start to trusting.
adamantSpectre
July 18th, 2018 1:18pm
Communicate with them and express what you need to rebuild the trust. It must be something they can commit to. Hold them to what they said or move on.
alex45678
November 22nd, 2018 7:37pm
Talk to them ask them why they constantly lie to you and depending on what the lies are about it may not be appropriate to trust them again you are worth more than that. Don’t let someone miss treat you. And make sure they actually want to change and create a relationship or friendship built on trust not lies. It’s important to trust someone close to you. If you can’t trust them they haven’t proven that the deserve you and your trust. I hope this helped a little I’ve had a lot of relationships ruined by lies. Hope it gets better
Anonymous
December 16th, 2018 9:02pm
I think that you need to think again if you really want to forgive this person. I have been in that situation and I choose to forgive. It wasn't the best choice, because usally the person won't stop lying. They really find different ways to lie and I have witnessed it, human don't change they just make a illusion of change and it's your choice to believe that illusion or not. I only understand that after two years of forgiving lies and one day I had enough, it's hard to trust people who are constantly lying. But you need to remember that everyone is different and if you really think that they need you forgivness then I think you won't have this question.
shanjul8
June 27th, 2019 6:09pm
Before you can even begin to trust your partner again, you first need to trust yourself — your inner knowledge of what's right and wrong for you. We have all been blessed with two sources of knowing — our feelings and the wisdom that pops into our mind from our higher guidance. When you learn to trust your feelings about your partner and learn to trust the wisdom that is always here for you, then you become truly trustworthy of yourself. This means that you stop ignoring that inner whisper and start listening to what you know in your heart and soul. Then and only then will you be able to discern what is true and what isn't about your partner and the relationship. With self-trust, you will be able to feel — and believe — when he or she is lying or trying to take advantage of you in a way that erodes trust.
Anonymous
October 10th, 2019 11:08am
To trust someone that has consistently lied and still remain in communication with that person sounds frustrating. Seems like you are very concerned for that person that consistently lies to you. If your close friend had to deal with a person who didn't feel comfortable with telling the truth or complete truth, what would you do to suggest a way to allow that person to open up without feeling judged where they had to lie? Is there a way to make the person feel that it is ok to be authentically themselves without fear in a trusting manner? How would you support that person to gain trust equally?
ingeniousPeace79
November 10th, 2019 11:28am
you dont, obviously. why would you trust someone who did lie consistently? to my mind, it's totally illogical. it's good to be hopeful in people, and to believe they have the capacity to change, and they are good at their root, but... :D the focus itself, your focus, should not be ever on words in the first place. your focus should always be on actions, what people do, not what people say. sure, their words might prove true in the future, great, you note down, and you remember, and you can invest more in those people, because the risk of failure of the relationship is less, right? but nevertheless, your focus has to be on actions actions are truth. words are very small
TheResilientDancer
December 23rd, 2019 10:31pm
It is really hard to be able to trust someone again who has consistently lied to you. It might feel like lying is a completely unforgiveable crime where loss of trust is the consequnce but there are worse crimes in the world than lying (depending on what the lie was actually about.) There are many different reasons why people lie. These can vary from wanting avoid consequences to feeling too nervous to tell the truth. Either way, lying can not be justified. Even though it is something that can not be justified, it does not mean that all trust should be lost. It takes time to trust again and that makes sense. Lying can cause feelings of anger or even violation.
WendinCaring
January 3rd, 2020 8:17pm
Trust is based on mutual respect. It is a foundation for relationship. If trust is repeatedly violated, rebuilding or even remaining trust can be very challenging. It is understandable that you find it difficult to trust someone again who has consistently violate the trust that your relationship is built on. My question is how much you value the relationship you have with that person. To err is human. Everyone makes mistakes. We have been taught by great people that being hopeful and patient can help mend a lot of things include trust. I guess to trust or not to trust, it is up to you to decide.
Reskew
January 29th, 2020 6:19am
Trust is a different thing for everyone and gaining trust back is a different process for everyone. What some people consider to be a trustworthy trait others may not. It's all personal to yourself. Its also important to remember that trust is a hard thing to gain and an easy thing to lose, you have to work for it. Trust can be shown to some by sticking to commitments, showing up when your suppose to, keeping things confidential when someone confides in you. Its more then just saying you'll do this, a lot of times its earned through actions done by individuals. With broken trust also comes forgiveness though. When people think of forgiveness a lot of times they think forgiveness is for the other person. Forgiveness is for YOU, it allows you to move on/past the emotions that keep you stuck in an event. Not forgiving can lead to resentments and that is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
Anonymous
February 16th, 2020 6:35am
You need to question yourself why are you trusting them over and over again? you say they have been consistently lying, so why? Do you feel extremely / emotionally dependent on them? How healthy is this relationship? are you sure they can be trusted again? Please ask your self the question why you are doing it before asking yourself how you are supposed to do it. If you are scared of never making it better than this, that won't be the case, I assure you, there's always something better. I hope this helps, lots of love. Get well soon. :)
CaringKitty457
February 19th, 2020 5:05am
Honestly, I wouldn't. But, if you really love and care for this person, I suggest you talk to them about their actions first, and then work together to make sure that you are not only building up your trust but that they are also making a consistent effort to regain your trust. Trust, and all relationships, for that matter, is a two way street, and it's hard to make it something that's one sided because it's really not. In order for you to trust them, you have to make sure that they are also working to improve themselves. It seems like you care enough about this person for you to want to trust them even after they've betrayed your trust. Seeing that, I'm guessing that you'd want to help this person improve as a human being and help them grow from their mistakes. So yeah-- in short, make sure you talk to them about it and help them understand why what they're doing is wrong and hurtful to you, then build from there.
SkyeWater
March 6th, 2020 2:29pm
Honestly, if someone has consistently lied, and still is, (especially if that someone is your spouse or partner) then perhaps it's time to question if they deserve your trust. But in the case that it is someone who seems to genuinely want your trust and is trying to stop with the lies, I'd say just pretend you're listening to a new person, instead of the person you remember them to be. Time is a definite key to building trust again. It will take time, perhaps years, to build up trust again, but if the opposite person is sincere, I am sure you will not struggle with trusting them. Overall, also trust your gut feeling, and remember that communication is important, don't assume things until you see it for yourself and confirm with that person that it is true.
Anonymous
May 7th, 2020 7:25pm
It really is up to you if you want to trust that person again but I think that everybody deserves a second or another chance. Even if they have consistently lied. It's hard to trust someone again but you can be careful around them yet still be friends. Just give them another chance because if you lose a friend, there's a chance that you can regret it and you don't want that to happen. Again it is really up to you but I'm just saying that another way for them to prove themselves to you is by trusting them again even if it's hard. Just both of yourselves space in the beginning and go from there.
Anonymous
May 21st, 2020 7:16pm
Communication is very important. Setting limits and talking about how you feel might get you two to a point where you can build trust again and overtime be in a better point. Trust is very hard to gain but really easy to lose, so it is key to have in mind that the process is going to be long, frustrating and that it requires a lot of patience, but it is not impossible when both parts are completely putting all they have in order to get to the desired point. Some follow-ups between two parties might help to keep track of a betterment too.