As the old saying goes."What a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive"
The more we lie the more we tend to lie in order to cover up previous lies.
I can only speak for myself.
I lied to everyone about my drinking in order to protect my need to drink.
Very soon it became alomost an act of "self preservation" My whole life was structured around my drinking and the lies that I had told about myself.
I stopped lying when I STOPPED DRINKING BECAUSE i BECAME AWARE OF JUST HOW BURDENSOME LYING WAS.
Every liar needs a good memory. It had become increasingly harder and harder for me to remember and cover my lies.
Like you I found out that honesty , although humbling and at times humiliating for me was far more liberating.