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Do you enjoy reading your horoscope online or in a magazine? Perhaps you are checking out the farmer’s almanac to predict the future?
Well, I came across a study that related birth months to predicting mental illnesses (with actual research and proof behind it!) So you will be given a real reason why your body acts the way it does instead of reading the vague prediction of you succeeding at the office or going on a date with the cute Taurus guy from class.
Here’s the study:
In a 2012 study (link is external), a group of researchers at Queen Mary University in London investigated whether the risk of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression increased depending on one’s birth month. These researchers looked at more than 29 million people from England’s general population, 58,000 of whom were diagnosed with one of these three conditions.
Winter babies were at the greatest risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, with January being the most common birth month for this group. Spring babies, meanwhile, appeared to be at greatest risk for depression, which demonstrated an almost significant peak in May.
Schizophrenia had significant lows for people born in July, and bipolar disorder had significant lows for individuals born in August and September. People born in November were significantly less likely to experience depression.
More research includes the probability of people with April, May, and June are at a higher risk of attempting suicide.
It is believed our biological clock has something to do with it – specifically our mood. Winter babies are having a more difficult time adapting to summer light, but then low Vitamin D (impacting the brain development) and infection (many illness in the winter, and allergens in the spring) is also linked to mental health challenges.
Now that we are aware of which months are more likely to develop certain mental illnesses, doctors can provide more support such as light therapy, monitoring mother and child for infections, practice meditation, etc. No fret!
When’s your birthday? Do you feel this study is pretty accurate/ help you understand why you are the way you are?
My birthday is in January and I was born in a snow blizzard, so it makes perfect sense as to why I was more likely to develop my illness. (Not the ONLY reason why I developed my mental illness).
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From time to time, I read my horoscope just to see if it makes any sense and has any validity in my life… and I am always surprised at how on point and relevant it turns out to be. I can’t say I am a firm believer yet but I am getting to that point lol
This study is so cool and makes a lot of sense. I would love to hear some of the reactions to this.
I love reading horoscopes too – I used to read them in my “Seventeen” magazine when I was a teenager and looked forward to read what was predicted for me. I was blown away by how accurate they can be too…some good predictions and some not the best too.
Although, sometimes I feel the horoscopes are a little too vague every so often, I believe zodiac signs do play a major role into our character too. Rai, do you feel this study matches your birth month?
This is interesting! i have read an article about this, but never stopped to think about it in depth. I think horoscopes are fun, but I also like to think i have free will and control over my life.
Thanks for sharing Val!
My birth month is November. I am a scorpio, I am a nice person and get along well with others but scorpion men are horrible they are really jealous an try to control your life I know because I dated two different scorpio men. Zodiac sais that we are compatible but I think that is a lye I think a Capricorn man is the best for me.