10 Myths About Mental Illness Are Debunked. This week, Oct. 6 to Oct. 12, we are celebrating Mental Illness Awareness Week, also known as Mental Health Awareness Week. "Celebrating” might seem like an odd word as the mention of the phrase “mental health” will inevitably bring up thoughts of suffering and dysfunction. But as we strive to make ourselves more aware of the scope and nature of mental illness, we should make every effort to combat outdated notions about mental disorders that see them as the equivalent of a living death sentence, dooming their victims to a lifetime of misery, loneliness and unbearable emotional pain. The truth is that mental illness can be overcome, and those who are diagnosed with one disorder or another can, with prompt and effective treatment, go on to live satisfying and productive lives—and this is a reality worth celebrating, even as we acknowledge the enormous suffering that mental illness can cause when it is un-diagnosed, un-treated and left to run amok. Unfortunately, old-fashioned ideas sometimes die hard, and there are a discouragingly large number of myths still circulating about mental disease that too many people are choosing to take seriously. In order to understand and...