Thanks for sharing. Well, first of all, I would echo some of the advice of others here. A sabbatical can salve burn-out, though you rightly sense that as soon

Thanks for sharing. Well, first of all, I would echo some of the advice of others here. A sabbatical can salve burn-out, though you rightly sense that as soon as you go back to work, the feelings will foam up again --- unless you address the source. It's probably good that you do _something_ besides sit around at home. Preferably it would be something to get you out of the house and around other people. It could be volunteering, something very unlike your day job, maybe something to get your blood flowing. For example, it might be counterproductive to choose on a hobby programming project to do in your room. Hammering houses together for the homeless, and then going to lunch with the other volunteers, sounds better. But it could be anything. Maybe your spouse could help you brainstorm a hundred things before you try some. But that won't cure you either. You say you are a perfectionist. I find that admirable and can sympathize with it, but there are few surer roads to disappointment than looking for perfection in others, or even yourself! It's possible your feelings are partly genetic. It could also come from your dad. Even if what caused his depression did not reach you directly, moods and attitudes can be contagious. Furthermore, a great part of your feelings may be arising from your own thoughts. I have found that practically all of my feelings can be traced to some thought. It was tricky at first, because often there is a delayed reaction, or the thoughts are so fast that they fly under the radar. You might try reading a book by Chris Thurman called The Lies We Believe. I went to seem him in Austin, and I think he is a top-notch psychologist. His writing is very easy to read and down to earth --- not the typical academic gobbledygook. It belongs to the class of counseling called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy --- which is just a fancy name for what I just said, that feelings follow thoughts. Later you might seek out a trusted psychologist to meet with face to face. I found that it isn't so much that a counselor waves a magic wand or knows some esoteric theory that solves all my problems. Most of all it was him listening, in a nonjudgmental way. And most of the advice was simple. Mental problems can often be like the tangle of cords behind your TV or computer. Our first impulse, when we're in pain, is to thrash and pull on them. But that just makes the knots tighter. We need someone who can gently help us slowly untangle them, one loop at a time. It takes time.