What lie do you tell people because it’s easier than explaining the truth?

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1. “I’m fine, thanks.”

2. That I’m fine

3. “We’re just not close” when it comes to why I don’t speak to 4 out of 5 of my brothers, too complicated and messy to explain it all

4. Why I don’t date

5. I’ll always lie about being NC with my mum and never having dated/had a relationship. The first is too private anyway and not something people I meet need to know about, the latter I just can’t be arsed to explain only to have 50 million platitudes and clichés thrown at my face.

   Oh, and of course the classic “nah don’t worry, I’m fine, just a bit tired” after I’ve spent the last few days looking into whether I should off myself with cyanide or fentanyl lmaooo

6. That my parents are fine. I’ll go as far as to make up some plausible sounding thing about them like “Oh they’ve just been on holiday to Spain” or something if people press for details.

   I don’t actually know because I haven’t been in contact with them for years. But I don’t generally get into my life trauma with people just making small talk.

7. Not exactly a lie but only part of the truth. I don’t drink alcohol and if anyone asks me why, I tell them that it makes me tired and get achey muscles, which gets in the way of performing my job as I’d like, which is about 30% of the truth. The main reason is that I become a different (rather too friendly) person when I drink and I don’t want people to know (or worse having an encounter with) that ‘other person’!

8. I’m fine, no I understand, yeah I’m doing alright for money, my bf’s doing great at work, don’t worry about it i’ll come round another day, i’m sorry etc honestly I lie so much its second nature lol

9. I’m happy, I moved to be closer to my father in law, I’m content.

10. The city in which I live. I tell them I live in the city next to mine because it’s more well known and people can visualize where it is better.

11. That my neurodivergence and extreme sensory aversion to needles was never understood so doctors forcible restrained me multiple times (even as an adult after I revoked consent for an elective procedure) resulting in severe PTSD. So now I can’t get shots, IVs or blood draws. I’ve even tried sedatives but I don’t respond to them. I shut down at the thought of having to go to the Dr for an illness or injury.

    Instead I tell people I have a medical condition that prevents me from being very active or in public much due to risk of illness.

12. I’m fine.

13. “We’ve just never been particularly close” with regards to my entire family. It’s easier than saying they were abusive as fuck and I really don’t care if I never talk to any of them again.

14. Yeah I knocked her out…

    Context: I had a manipulative ex. She would have these meltdowns and beg me to hurt her or end her. ONE DAY she 🔪 during a fight and I pushed her against the wall. Where I live domestic violence between women isn’t taken seriously. She told the police and mutuals that I was the aggressor and that she feared for her life. This caused me to lose friends and I had to switch jobs. I kept trying to explain what happened. One day I gave up.

    So I started telling people yeah I knocked her ass out. Almost started bragging about it. She did not like this and started saying I was lying and it didn’t happen like that. Then I would be like ‘oh so you DID 🔪 me for no reason ‘. Then she would try to be a victim again. Eventually the harassment stopped and some of my friends apologized to me. But whenever someone new comes around bringing up that story I just say ‘yep knocked her out’. And like clockwork she will show her true colors.

15. That I just ate and am not hungry or thirsty but thank you in social settings. I actually have an autoimmune disease that may make me feel miserable if I eat the wrong, unpredictable thing at the wrong, unpredictable time.

16. I tell people that I have two step brothers and a step sister. We have always referred to each other that way, but technically, we aren’t.

    My mom and their dad were together for about 8 years. He died suddenly four days before they were supposed to get married. Even though it was decades ago, we all still stay in touch and get together. And we all refer to each other as step-brother / step-sister because it’s easier than explaining the real story.

17. I wish I was pregnant!

    I am, but people believe that I’m not but *wish* that I was more than me outright saying no??

18. However they pronounce my name the first time, I say that’s the right way.

19. That I have an upset stomach or I just ate recently. I have an anxiety disorder, and when I get anxious I can’t eat. I get embarrassed telling people about it, and then that makes me feel more anxious. It’s easier to lie about the reason I’m not eating. Of course people I’m close with know about it, but I don’t tell acquaintances or strangers

20. My sexuality

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