People who have shown significant or complete recovery from severe mental illness... have cited hope as an extraordinarily important component in their recovery. Part of the recovery was being around people who saw their condition as not permanent, a condition from which they could take increasing control of their life and reestablish a place in society.

     A persistent myth about severe mental illness is that it cannot be treated.  In fact... "The efficacy of many treatments for severe mental disorders is comparable to that in other branches of medicine, including surgery."