Those inflicted with Desperation Disease are oblivious to what is happening around them
Desperation Disease is a coma-like condition that afflicts those who have become "one" with the Scub Coral. The disease is brought upon by individuals wishing to understand the true nature of the Scub Coral. Thus, their catatonic state appears to be a side effect of their conciousness entering the Command Center of the Scub Coral. There they stay of their volition to seek the information they wish to know, leaving their bodies in the state of Desperation Disease.
The victims of this disease hold a fixation on their compact drives, and seem unable to take in their surroundings like other humans, and are unresponsive to almost everything, even excrutiating pain. Although the victims themselves feel no despair, it is called the Desperation Disease because of the despair it brings upon loved ones.