People who lie to others may begin to...

• A. Distrust themselves
• B. Distrust those they have lied to
• C. Develop anxiety and anxiety disorders
• D. Develop sleep problems

Answer: (B)

Deception naturally strains relationships and shifts how you view the person you’re deceiving. When you lie, you’re constantly managing a cover story and worrying about being found out. That focus on protecting the lie tends to color your expectations about the other person as well — you start to suspect or distrust them, wondering if they’ll betray you, misjudge you, or expose the lie. In short, the act of lying can foster a protective suspicion toward those you’ve lied to, making distrust of the person you lied to the most likely outcome.

Yes, lying can create anxiety or sleep troubles for the liar, but the most direct and common interpersonal consequence is developing distrust toward the person they deceived.