Delivery dependence syndrome is a degenerative condition that causes porters to become solely dependent on the ‘high' of delivering cargo, to the point of attempting to forcibly steal and deliver the cargo of other deliverymen.
Overview[]
Back before the Death Stranding, the comms and delivery networks held society together and the system was automated, AI-managed with deliveries carried out by drone. The belief was that taking people out of the equation would revolutionize the whole system, but things didn't quite pan out that way and instead, people back then started seeing cases of what would eventually be dubbed "drone syndrome." It was too much for some folks to accept, leaving everything to machines and nothing for the common man, and indeed, the oxytocin deficiency and hormonal imbalances, lead the confirmation that humanity needed to be part of the process. To solve this, laws were put in place, thus taking a step back from progress.
All the people put out of work by machines who got called up again convinced themselves society couldn't survive without them, and that brought on a whole new disorder, a syndrome called delivery dependence syndrome or DDS.
Chiral Contamination[]
When the Death Stranding tore the world apart and groups of porters begin proper deliveries, some as independent porters and some for distro organizations like Fragile Express, they began to be exposed to chiral radiation, which is emitted by chiralium, a substance discovered at the same time as the Beach, that worsen the DDS. Prolonged exposure can significantly impact physical and mental health with effects that are not dissimilar from those observed in individuals exposed to extremely high levels of stress like: altered hormonal secretions, impair immune response, contribute to heart failure, and induce strokes. The most common symptom of chiral contamination is poor sleep quality due to vivid nightmares and, if left unchecked, however, it can quickly progress in more advanced stage.
The resulting hormonal imbalances frequently lead to heightened destructive impulses towards the self and others. Those dominated by such urges are named Homo Demens. In the case of some factionalized porters, such as MULEs, impaired memory and judgment has led them to develop an irrational obsession with their profession, hence the Homo Gestalt moniker.
Managements[]
It seems that for some people the only way to stave off the syndrome is to join a distro organization with strong leadership and support to help keep you on the straight and narrow or using some method to alleviate the symptoms like increasing oxytocin secretion through contact with other people, administering smart drugs or using a new hormone dubbed "Likecin."
Likecin[]
Likecin is a recent discovered hormone known to mitigate the effects of chiral contamination, and by extention DDS, while also restoring basic physical and mental acuity, has attracted a great deal of attention from the scientific community. Unlike oxytocin, likecin cannot be administered externally, it is secreted within the body, but only in response to external stimuli. It is said to be the hormone principally responsible for the positive feelings that occur when one achieves a goal, enjoys success, receives praise or gratitude, or any other form of “like" from a fellow human being.