"Exaggeration is often used, sometimes habitually, for two reasons. Some individuals use it as a form of emotional self-expression. Other times it is used to manipulate others. In either circumstance, it leaves others feeling deceived, tricked, manipulated, exploited, and abused. While exaggeration may sometimes be successful at achieving some short-term goals, it causes significant damage to relationships. There are ways of achieving the same short-term goals without hurting others in your life."
"Some individuals use exaggeration to emphasize the expression of their feelings to others. The following dialogue is a typical example: Red: Why don't you pick up your phone? I called you like 10 times yesterday. Rho: You called me 10 times yesterday? Red: I don't know if it was 10 times, but I kept calling you all day. Rho: I only saw your caller ID come up on my telephone twice. Red: I just know it was more than once."
Exaggeration functions both as emotional self-expression and as a manipulation tactic. Exaggeration used to express feelings often replaces precise statements like "it felt like" for literal facts. Habitual exaggeration leads listeners to feel deceived, tricked, manipulated, exploited, and abused. Repeated exaggeration undermines credibility and causes others to discount or disregard information. Exaggeration can achieve short-term goals but produces significant long-term relational harm. Direct and accurate communication produces better results with less risk to relationships. Clear expression of feelings and straightforward factual statements offer alternatives that preserve trust and credibility.
Read at Psychology Today
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