Without knowing the specifics of a case, it’s difficult to tell if someone is driven by anti-social tendencies or mental illness. Whatever the case, a person who stages a crime may already feel victimized, said Dr. Gail Saltz, an associate professor of psychiatry at the New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine.
Lying may be your brain’s fault, honestly
They may think that being a crime victim will bring them attention they feel they deserve, she said.
When people go through difficult times in their lives, they may see themselves as victims of their circumstances, she said. Or, they may suffer from trauma or depression or stigmatization because of their race or sexual orientation, Saltz said.
Claiming the mantle of victimhood can be a way of getting the sympathy, acknowledgment or treatment from others they seek, she said.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/21/health/why-people-lie/index.html
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