[metastrategy]

Quit what you're doing professionally, go out and forge a path elsewhere. Maybe, not in the western world. Go to India, South Pacific, South America. Find a need there, and start filling that need & see what can come about from making a different kind of positive change in a persons life.

Maybe, it's digging a well. I don't know, but, what you're doing now doesn't seem like its gratifying for you. If all of that is a bit extreme, go help out at a homeless shelter, or food bank.

[rauar]

Changing your life is one thing. leaving behind everyone this guy knows personally and potentially could help sounds like a big mistake... especially with anxiety attacks and severe depression.

[tylerhwillis]

+1, an incredibly important point. Feeling detached/disconnected from the world is one cause of depression. Feeling disconnected is a logical outcome of changing everything about your life all at once.

Changing habits/attitudes/etc. is important, but I'd try to do it incrementally - testing to see if these changes improve your experience, while focusing on maintaining and strengthening connections to things that you think make life easier/more enjoyable (could be friends/family or work or hobbies or ...)

[I'm not well versed in psychology, please take this as an idea to start your own research, and not a prescription of activity]

[turnwhere]

Very good points.

As in my reply above, I have in fact pretty much just done this. I went to South America last month and will be for a few months, volunteering. I left everything behind and rarely talk to anyone I know. I think I may have expected too much of myself, being able to handle this. Incremental sounds more sensible.

[michaelrhansen]

Totally agree. Didn't see this as we posted at the same time ;)