October has been the month of monsters and scare tactics for decades. While telling scary stories and myths is all in good fun, there are several myths that are now accepted as truth in everyday life. These are examples of such myths and the truth behind them.

Myth #1: Breaking a mirror is bad luck.

Truth: Breaking a mirror will make a mess, but it won’t bring bad luck. People used to believe mirrors showed a person’s soul, so when a mirror was broken, the soul was thought to be damaged as well. Of course, souls are not found in mirrors, so this myth is false.

Myth #2: If you feel a chill up your spine, someone is walking on your future grave.

Truth: Before you accept this myth, you may want to try wearing a jacket.

Myth #3: If you eat too much candy, you’ll get a sugar rush.

Truth: No matter how much candy you eat, you won’t get a “sugar rush.” Scientists have concluded sugar has no impact on a person’s behavior, no matter how much they eat. Unless you have a form of diabetes, the perception of a sugar rush is all in your mind.

Myth #4: Known sex offenders use Halloween to their advantage.

Truth: Convicted sex offenders actually have a curfew and must place a “no candy” sign outside their house to deter people from visiting on Halloween. In some places like Texas and Arkansas, they actually have to report to the courthouse for a counseling session.

Myth #5: Some people may try to poison your candy.

Truth: There has actually never been any police documented case of candy being poisoned and given to children. Any cases where candy was thought to have caused a death were later debunked and attributed to another source.

Myth #6: Black cats are evil.

Truth: No cat, no matter the color, is evil. In older times, people thought cats were witches’ familiars, aka minions. Witches aren’t real and so this isn’t true.