Looking up the term dishearten, lead to discourage. Depression is the tool our Spirit uses to bring to our attention the mental, emotional and spiritual issues in us that seek acknowledgment and ultimately healing. Healing can only come from a place of truth. Truth is what our Spirit is made of. I am including the topic of depression with self-discovery due to my own personal experience and that of others I have witnessed.
Depression has and is an integral part of self-discovery.
The two rather go hand in hand. Depression settles in when there are issues about ourselves that are difficult to accept, and we often try to keep hidden or bottled up inside. Our Spirit, of course, wants nothing more than for us to heal these issues. Depression, it seems, has gotten a negative rap from society in general. People who are depressed are often told they are weak in character.