[rejectedalot]

It seems like you get a lot of your feeling of meaning and contentedness from social interaction. From what you’re saying about how travel, projects, etc don’t seem as fulfilling anymore, it really seems to me like you have some depressive tendencies.

I’m not a doctor, but just as a friend, I think you should really try to think of dealing with that existential sadness as a priority - not as an annoyance. Spending real time and energy towards improving your mental health could have real impact on every other aspect of your life.

[hedvig]

2 books I recently read that point to social connection as essential to meaning and well-being are Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari, and Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger.

[bigbluedots]

Do you have any recommendations for dealing with 'existential sadness', as you put it?

[maccam94]

Seconded! This post sounds a lot like me a while ago, and depression was definitely a factor.