[tekkk]

It sounds your brains need some serious rewiring. I wouldnt worry about coding or focusing intensely at anything, just start exercising, doing hobbies and hanging around / making friends. Maybe a job that is more hands-on. You need to reprioritize and let go of the past failures. Therapist would probably help as well, but best is to learn to how to help yourself first.

[provenance]

I am outdoors 24/7 besides time in public food establishments, I bike 12-15 miles daily and am in good physical condition, I am starting a hackerspace, I speak to a therapist, and I have long since let go of past failures. I have done and still do hands-on jobs for food money.

A month or so ago, I was offered a prestigious cybersecurity job interview but declined. It would not be sustainable for me.

Very intense screen time gives me splitting headaches and I am generally unable to re-engage with coding.

[tekkk]

Well, it seems the conclusion is like in the old joke. "Doctor it hurts when i do this." "Stop doing that."

Just my outside perspective. I've had headaches as well from intense coding but those came from overexposure to blue light. I dialed down brightness, set up a red shift mode after evenings and used shield protector for a while. Went away after few months.

[provenance]

Thanks for sharing your perspective. I still would love to re-invigorate passion for coding as I had in my 20's. If I am in a better situation to try again, will keep in mind your experience regarding blue light overexposure.

[RugnirViking]

For what it's worth, I knew a guy who was in a similar situation to you, struggling in and out of a career he'd done for decades and was previously great at because of burnout. He fully gave up with his career in the end - bought a van and ran a landscaping business for a couple years (didn't work out but he doesn't regret it) and now he organises music festivals on people's farms and seems happy. He's not particularly wealthy (but not poor either, lives out in the countryside in a lovely big house) but seems to be doing really well.

[plaguuuuuu]

I wonder what sort of careers would be workable for coders, other than coding itself.

I'd probably be happy to be a teacher if it paid well.