Enju's Projection

Write about a disease with an unknown origin in your world. How do people treat it?

Enju's Projection is a mental illness which manifests in priests and highly religious people. It takes root in an identity crisis and develops into a split personality which presents as possession. If untreated, the condition can result in the complete loss of the original persona, hallucinogenic visions and physical symptoms unique to each individual.
It is named for Enju Sahidharma, the most famous early sufferer of the disease. Enju's followers believed she had been possessed by Badger, made them King, and helped them to forge the Masked Kingdom in it's earliest form.

Who is at risk?

This particular delusion comes upon people who feel disconnected from their clan's Patron Spirit, and are distressed by it. As such, the most at-risk groups for Enju's Projection are those in the religious life and devout laypeople.
In 72% of recorded cases, this disconnection felt apparent to the sufferers because of gender disparity. Therefore, those whose sex matches that of their Nation's Spirit are at lesser risk.
As an example case, a priestess of Wolf found herself frustrated by her inability to summon forth the magicks of her clan. As she lived by Wolf's tenants closely, she believed her inadequacy was a result of her birth as a female.

How does the condition develop?

First, the sense of disconnection and doubt sprouts into an identity crisis. In recorded cases, patients have a common belief that something is wrong with them and search desperately for a root cause to justify it.
Next, the victim determines that they have some inherent difference with the Spirit. They will then consciously begin to modify their behavior to correct this alleged flaw. Eventually the corrections become unconscious, and feel more natural. However, the persona they are crafting is not true to themselves, and causes some inherent stress.
This stress eventually results in a dissociation of the original personality from the modified one. Most victims feel as though they are sharing headspace and both sides tend to remain aware regardless of which is "driving," although this is not guaranteed.
At this point the patient tends to believe that they are being possessed by the Patron Spirit itself, or acting as a projection for them on the material world (hence the name). As more credence is given to the secondary persona, the first begins to fade and take over less and less. Eventually the original personality disappears entirely.
In the event that Enju's progresses to this stage, physical mutations may manifest. This differs from patient to patient. In the example mentioned previously, the Wolf priestess' coat changed colors and began to sprout from her shoulders and hips as well as her head and neck.

Treatment

Treatment varies based on stage and Nation.
In fairly industrialized Nations (ex. the Masked Kingdom), the illness can be recognized as such and help can be sought for the patient. However, some Nations, such as the Deepwater, still believe that the possession is a holy event, and that the victims become prophets. In those places medicines are given to speed and ease the transition, and cures are not pursued.
If caught at an early stage, the initial identity crisis can be resolved through talk therapy. If at all possible, a religious councilor of higher standing who has also had a brush with the disease is ideal. They can help the patient identify what caused them to begin feeling this way, and what it really means, before they begin to spiral out of control.
If personality changes have already manifested, drugs should be administered to prevent the decay of the core persona. An extract from abyss stalks can be used in small dosages to suppress the possession effect- the patient is kept under observation, and when a shift is detected the medicine is administered. When performed properly, and given time, the personality switches will stop triggering. Talk therapy is also required throughout this process, but is most effective after the "projection" is sufficiently suppressed.
Unfortunately, if the primary personality has vanished, and if physical mutations have occurred, there is no cure for Enju's Projection. If no other mental illness is present, the victims are perfectly able to exist in society, and frequently gain great standing in the church of their Patron Spirit. In the case of the Nations which glorify this state, rulership of towns or larger regions can be handed over to the victims to rule.

Type

Mental