Folklore Themes: Despair

As with other states of emotion, women believe that despair is the manifestation of a spirit, in this case a malicious and dangerous one. Characters suffering from despair refuse to eat or get up. In the more dramatic depictions they will also weep and shout pessimistic predictions of doom. Although despair is not usually fatal in real life, in folklore those afflicted with it inevitably die.

From Finding Old Ancestor:
Despair is a spirit that spreads itself by sight. It fills a person, taking the place of hunger and thirst spirits, so that she takes no food or water, and her body weakens until her life spirit escapes. Then, when another looks upon the dead one, the despair goes into her. It likes especially those who already are weak, and who among us was not weak? Therefore we could not leave this body to be seen by anyone.