Health care providers tend to be superstitious. They believe if you say the word, "Slow" every patient will crump or attempt to get out of bed simultaneously. When there's a full moon they believe everyone will turn into a psych patient. It also goes the other way... when it's a crazy night, someone will say... "It must be a full moon." I personally don't believe in either of these superstitions. So every once and a while I'll say, "Man it's so quiet." tee hee he. People freak!
One crazy night a nurse and I got into a debate about the true effects of the moon on human behavior. I said there is no effect. She said it's a proven fact! So I got online a did a little research. Here's what I found.
According to Snelson, Under the Brighton full moon: Introduction, "There was no significant differences between the lunar phases in terms of Accident & Emergency presentations with deliberate self-harm, with psychological problems, psychiatric admissions, or referrals to the mental health services" (2004).
Another study featured by Military Medicine, No Effect of Lunar Cycle on Psychiatric Admissions or Emergency Evaluations, also showed similar results. "Records from Naval Medical Center San Diego for 1993-2001 were examined to see whether there were higher rates of psychiatric admission associated with particular phases of the moon. Records from 8,473 admissions revealed that there were no more admission on days with a full moon, a new moon, any quarter of the moon, a waxing moon, or a waning moon. This held true for psychiatric patients as a whole, as well as for individuals with particular diagnoses, such as those with a mood disorder or psychotic disorder. In summary, lunar phase was not associated in any significant way with psychiatric admissions or emergency presentation" (2006).
Well I think I've presented the facts.
Now I will present my theory how myths like this come about. It's simple really. Lets examine this myth, "Every time I look at my mileage while I'm driving, it ends with a 5. How weird is that right???" So now you're more aware of when your mileage ends in a 5. You might look at your gauge 20 times a day without even thinking about it. But the one time a day you look and it happens to end in a 5, it sticks out in your mind. This gives you the false illusion that every time you look at your mileage it ends in a 5.
p.s... I would like to give a special thanks to David Hugh Gent, Phd for helping me interpret research data that only doctors would understand:)
One crazy night a nurse and I got into a debate about the true effects of the moon on human behavior. I said there is no effect. She said it's a proven fact! So I got online a did a little research. Here's what I found.
According to Snelson, Under the Brighton full moon: Introduction, "There was no significant differences between the lunar phases in terms of Accident & Emergency presentations with deliberate self-harm, with psychological problems, psychiatric admissions, or referrals to the mental health services" (2004).
Another study featured by Military Medicine, No Effect of Lunar Cycle on Psychiatric Admissions or Emergency Evaluations, also showed similar results. "Records from Naval Medical Center San Diego for 1993-2001 were examined to see whether there were higher rates of psychiatric admission associated with particular phases of the moon. Records from 8,473 admissions revealed that there were no more admission on days with a full moon, a new moon, any quarter of the moon, a waxing moon, or a waning moon. This held true for psychiatric patients as a whole, as well as for individuals with particular diagnoses, such as those with a mood disorder or psychotic disorder. In summary, lunar phase was not associated in any significant way with psychiatric admissions or emergency presentation" (2006).
Well I think I've presented the facts.
Now I will present my theory how myths like this come about. It's simple really. Lets examine this myth, "Every time I look at my mileage while I'm driving, it ends with a 5. How weird is that right???" So now you're more aware of when your mileage ends in a 5. You might look at your gauge 20 times a day without even thinking about it. But the one time a day you look and it happens to end in a 5, it sticks out in your mind. This gives you the false illusion that every time you look at your mileage it ends in a 5.
p.s... I would like to give a special thanks to David Hugh Gent, Phd for helping me interpret research data that only doctors would understand:)
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