When Truman Capote was staying in Kansas to research his famous nonfiction novel In Cold Blood, he allegedly held cocktail parties in his hotel room. Capote was also known for throwing the famous Black and White Ball in New York in 1966. Many prominent writers, performers, artists, politicians, publishers, and socialites attended this event, a social event that people still talk about today.

It seems that Capote was known just as much for his socializing than for his prominent literary career. In fact, Capote often played the role of a party-loving bon vivant. He famously socialized with many prominent socialites and others during his day. He also appeared on talk shows that seemed to publicize his social life and anecdotes as much as—if not more than—his actual literary work.

Capote cultivated this image. Could it have hurt him? He spent the last years of his life in and out of rehab centers for drug and alcohol abuse. The parties, drinking, and drug use seemed to take tolls on him. Being the life of the party sapped the life from him.

Capote’s life is yet another example of why people shouldn’t try to create and maintain false images of themselves. Staying true to yourself might sound like a cliché, but it’s a healthier option in the long run.

Of course, we all know that staying true to ourselves can be very difficult. We often face pressures to conform to what others think we should be, and to conform to what we ourselves think we should be. We think that this version is more desirable than our true selves.

Truman Capote seemed to toy with a particular image of himself. If he wasn’t truly this image, could the differences between this image and his real self have led to his drinking and drug problems? Did he use such substances to mask his pain?

While we can’t answer these questions, we do know that therapy, rehabs, and other substance use disorder treatments can help people discover their true selves.