There’s a lot to be said for living a good, honest life. If you avoid lying, chances are you’ll have an easier time at work. You won’t have to sneak around with your significant other. You’ll be well liked by the clergy. And according to new research by scientists at the University of Notre Dame in France, you’ll also be healthier.
Over the course of 10 weeks, Anita Kelly and Lijuan Wang kept track of 110 liars and truth-tellers, the majority of whom were college students. About half of the group was instructed not to tell any lies for the duration of the study, and the other half received no instructions. They all checked in at the lab once a week to take a polygraph test and update the doctors on their progress. They all had to keep track of the number of major and minor lies they told throughout the week and then compare that to their state of well-being. The definition of lying included white lies as well as exaggerating the truth.
Videos by VICE
Turns out lying makes you sick. Or rather, not lying makes you healthy. Participants in the lie-free free group who told three fewer white lies throughout the course of the week reported fewer headaches and less anxiety than those in the control group. They also complained less of sore throat and general tenseness and even said that their personal relationships had improved. “The link was that clear,” said Kelly, a professor of psychology. “Not lying was clearly associated with better health for those individuals.”
It all makes perfect sense when you think about it. Lying is stressful! First you have to think up the lie and then you have to tell it. Along the way, you’ll probably find yourself wrapped in a web of lies that you have to navigate to avoid getting caught in the lies. “I think lying can cause a lot of stress for people, contributing to anxiety and even depression,” says Dr. Bryan Bruno, acting chairman of the department of psychiatry at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, “Lying less is not only good for your relationships, but for yourself as an individual. People might recognize the more devastating impact lying can have on relationships, but probably don’t recognize the extent to which it can cause a lot of internal stress.”
Stress is the absolute worst. Not only does it lead to the headaches, anxiety and tenseness the Science of Honesty participants complained about, it can have real physical effects. It can actually shrink your brain. In conclusion, don’t lie or you’ll end up with a tiny brain that hurts all the time. And no friends.
Image via YouTube
Connections:
More
From VICE
-
Illustration by Reesa. -
Getty Images -
Illustration by Reesa. -
Getty Images
