Does the Full Moon Cause Lunacy

Tomorrow night is the FULL MOON.

Uh oh.

You know the stories, right? Psychiatric hospitals have more admissions during the full moon? There are more suicides? More car accidents? Dog bites? Murders?

Studies show a majority of people believe this at some level, including mental health and medical professionals.

This is a longstanding idea. Shakespeare might have mentioned it a time or two. It is, of course, where the terms "lunatic" and "lunacy" (and the somewhat antiquated "looney") find their origins. Writers of all types have made good use of it as an inciting event of sorts.

But is it true? Does the moon somehow exert its power on us when it's full?

Does

EQUAL

?

 

Nah. Not at all. A review of the hundreds of studies of this phenomenon revealed no connection between the full moon and any type of unusual human behavior or events. And the whole "we're 80% water so the moon affects us like it does the tides" idea does not work. First, a new moon exerts as much gravitational pull as does a full moon (just because we can't see it don't mean it ain't there). Second, a mosquito sitting on your arm has more gravitational effect on your body than the moon does.

 

Why do so many believe it? Illusory correlation. If we believe there's a connection, we'll notice when events occur that reinforce that belief. And we won't notice things that don't align with the belief.
Nevertheless, it's kind of an entertaining idea, which is why it's had so much literary and cinematic traction. And who couldn't use one more excuse for wild and crazy behavior?

 

So ... what are your plans for the full moon?