Separation syndrome

Also called 'heartbreak syndrome', separation syndrome is a condition primarily seen in familiars, occurring when the soul matrices of two individuals become sufficiently intertwined that an abrupt separation causes a wound. 
While the souls are damaged, the patient finds it difficult to care for themself and their immune system is suppressed. The condition begins at the abruption, with the patient becoming withdrawn, listless and increasingly disinterested in their surroundings.
Without treatment, the condition is fatal, with most deaths occuring from malnourishment or complications arising from opportunistic infections, made more likely by a decrease in hygiene and grooming.
Treament consists of a support - usually a non-practicing owner - who makes no additonal demands of the patient while their souls are regrowing to fill the hollow. The support must not allow the patient to withdraw, or the souls to shrink, but encourages the patient to turn outwards, exposing them to new stimuli in order to promote growth. This can be difficult for one person to manage, and a single support risks becoming entwined with the patient, so the best standard of care is undertaken by a group, with one or two principle supports who provide deeper emotional connections.
Familiar rehabilitation is best undertaken by someone who was known to the patient prior to the abruption; specialist familiar rehabilitators can be found in many major cities, as living in a location with a high population density appears to exacerbate the early stages of the condition.
Separation syndrome is also observed in sapient species, especially after the death of a close family member, such as a parent, spouse, or child, or after a traumatic event, such as forcible displacement, or a painful incident, especially one that results in physical disability. Separation syndrome is the subject of ongoing study in Ophoné, with the debate about whether it is a disorder of the rational or emotional soul. In Iasteron, it is believed to be a disorder of integration, meaning the abruption throws the soul matrix out of alignment.

Type

Supernatural