Study finds no correlation between lunar cycles and psychological problems

The strange behavior of your weird uncle or nosy neighbor is not caused by the moon, as a new study by researchers at Universite Laval's School of Psychology in Quebec has found no correlation between psychological problems and the lunar phases.

Vampires, werewolves and … babies?
Documented by ancient civilizations and new age healers alike, the relationship humans have with the moon, thought to result in robust fertility rates and the onsets of psychological problems, has been thought of by some as a phenomenon. Lunar effect theory, as it is often called, is followed by those who believe that since the moon affects tidal levels across large bodies of water, it also has a pull on the ebb and tide of human beings, since humans are made up of a large percentage of water.

From the study's data, an overwhelming 80 percent of nurses and 64 percent of doctors believe that different lunar phases affect a patient's mental health, a myth the team of researchers hope to disprove for good.

"We hope our results will encourage health professionals to put that idea to rest," said Genevieve Belleville, Ph.D., professor of psychology. "Otherwise, this misperception could, on the one hand, color their judgment during the full moon phase; or, on the other hand, make them less attentive to psychological problems that surface during the remainder of the month."

The study examined roughly 770 patients who visited the emergency rooms of Montreals Sacre-Coeur Hospital and Hotel-Dieu de Levis between the year 2005 and 2008. Of the majority of subjects that were admitted with chest pains with diagnosable cause of origin, many suffered from panic attacks, anxiety disorders and depression leading to suicidal thoughts.

However, a strange correlation
Charting the visits of these patients, the researchers found zero correlation between the lunar phase and the psychological problem of the patients, revealing that the lunar calendar had no visible effect on mental conditions. The only exception the study found was that anxiety disorders were diagnosed 32 percent less often during the last lunar quarter, though Belleville was quick to dismiss this seemingly counter effect as a coincidental happening.

"This may be coincidental or due to factors we did not take into account," explained Belleville. "But one thing is certain: We observed no full-moon or new moon effect of psychological problems."

According to the most recent survey by the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 36 million people paid for health services to treat mental conditions in 2006, and the total cost of this health care was almost $58 billion. This study is just another step to disprove the idea that psychological problems arise during certain times of the year, potentially offering solace for those who may buy Effexor to treat the symptoms of mental illness - a reassurance that they should not have anything to fear during a full moon.