Five Ways to Tell if Someone is Lying to You

We've all been lied to before and we'll all be lied to many times again. Most of the lies we're told aren't of any real harm to us. There is no need to walk around constantly assessing people's behaviors and motives trying to decide if they are lying. That isn't a healthy or pleasant way to live.

There are some cases where lying can be detrimental to our relationships, businesses, jobs, and other important aspects of our lives. If this is the case the situation needs to be handled appropriately. Before you take action, you need to know for sure that you're actually being lied to.

Below are five easy ways to tell if someone is lying to you.

1. Let's start with one of the most common giveaways: eye contact. Almost any one can tell that someone is lying to them, because the person in question refuses to make eye contact. Now, granted some individuals are just shy and this makes keeping eye contact difficult for them, so every time you meet someone that won't look you in the eye, this does not mean they are misleading you.

It isn't hard to differentiate between the conniving individual and the shy person. If you suspect you're being lied to, if circumstances support that assumption, and someone is sending you clues, then you most likely are.

Look for shaky and shifty eyes, that move from side to side and up and down rapidly. Check for excessive blinking of the eyelids. Does the person scratch at or rub their eyes? These are all dead giveaways.

2. Another thing people tend to do when they aren't being honest is move around and fidget a lot. Their fingers and hands are in constant motion. The individual may cross their arms and then uncross them; lean up against a table and then stand upright again all within a minute or so. Many people shift their weight from side to side quite frequently when they are lying or stand in a position where they are not directly facing you.

3. Pay attention to whether the person is breathing rapidly or holding their breath. Many people begin taking very short and frequent breaths when they are not telling the truth. It becomes hard for them to speak clearly because of the disruption caused by their breathing. Others tend to hold their breath, stringing words and sentences together without taking breaks in between. Another clue can be if someone coughs or clears their throat frequently while they speak.

4. If the person attempts to change the subject this can be a hint. Lying is usually very uncomfortable for the individual and if they can find a way to avoid it they will. Another thing people often do when they lie is over explain things or give unnecessary details.

Along the same lines, the person in question may over react to your comments and gestures, either becoming dramatically defensive or laughing excessively depending on what the subject and circumstances are.

5. In more severe cases the individual may begin to sweat profusely, their face may become flush and their voice begin to tremble. This is most likely the case if the person feels intimidated, threatened, or if what they are lying about is of a serious nature.

Remember, this isn't a prescription to spend your days being suspicious of or accusing every person of being a liar that behaves in one of these five ways. You should only show concern if the lies are serious. If that's the case, the above clues offer an easy way to assess whether or not you are being lied to.