In the episode Steve and Shawn address their issues with abandonment.  The toll it has taken on themselves as well as their families. Abandonment is a feeling of disconnectedness, rejection, and neediness. The aftermath of this type of trauma generates a looming fear of not only losing connection with the people you love, but being forced to fend for yourself.  Abandonment is a component of Post Traumatic Stress. It  can be  caused by experiences that make us feel unsafe, insecure, and alone. The emotional distress that stems from this type of trauma can persist throughout a Veteran’s  life.