Full Moon Syndrome: Fact or Fiction

For years, we (in the nursing profession) have identified an increase in full moon personality changes among our patients and co-workers. None of them for the better! Yet research does not support our theory that the crazy come out to play during the days before and after a full moon! Nurses General Nursing Article

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Wikapedia 2012 said:
"The lunar effect is the theory that there is correlation between specific stages of the Earth's lunar cycle and deviant behavior in human beings that cannot simply be explained by variation in light levels. There is no good reason to expect this to be the case, and in spite of numerous studies, no significant lunar effect on human behaviour has been established."

When it appears crazy at work, I always ask "is it a full moon tonight?" and 9 times out of 10 a full moon is close.

Even my pets seem to have more mad moments of charging around the house.

I know personally that I feel that I am less tolerant during that period of the month, I feel anger more quickly and I put things out of perspective.

Is this due to the moon you might ask, or is it due to a stressful job as a manager?

All I know is that all the staff seems to have multiple communications issues with each other, which they cannot sort out alone. More complaints about co-workers 'easier assignments' or they hate the schedule they are working.

Do Call Off's increase? Not that I noticed but we could always start monitoring the full moon and sickness. ;)

I have personally seen an increase in attempted suicide attempts.

Increase in pain tolerance for patients.

More patients coming in for detox ?

When I was a midwife we expected more women going into labor round this time.

Or are they all old wives tales?

Think about where you work, have you noticed an increase in the abnormal around the moon cycle or is craziness around all the time?

Those of you who work in the ER, you must have some good examples of 'full moon madness'. ?

Specializes in Psychiatry, Forensics, Addictions.

It is not "all in my head." On my unit, we post when the next full moon is going to be because our long term patients are so affected by it. Psych patients are affected by the moon.

Specializes in ED.

Nah, it's bad luck to be superstitious.

Which is good, because then the data would be tainted by biases...

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I still believe the moon does have an influence and although studies have shown it yet, my personal experience is that things do happen around that full moon.

Specializes in Mental Health.

There is no link between the moon and psych patients and their behaviour or presentation.

Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

If the moon has the power to affect the pull of the tides, animal behavior, and seasonal changes, who is to say that it does not have an impact on human behavior? I personally believe it does.