Well, they do have a tendency to lie even when the truth would serve them better...
I understand that comment 100%. Some 28 years ago, I decided that my propensity to overindulge in spirits was causing me problems that I din't want to follow down the toilet or under a bridge. I self-diagnosed as one who might benefit from AA and life became very good indeed. One of the ways I knew I was on the right path was when I started hearing myself tell the truth when a lie would have sufficed just as well. Until then, I was very like your assessment - lies even when Truth would be the better deal. When one has to lie to cover for his/her foibles, one begins to remember past lies so as to keep from contradicting oneself and then builds a whole new "reality" based on those lies and the lies used to support them.