To keep matters short, after an extended amount of time hating the day to day grind of programming I began playing with electronics and hardware again, and I couldn't have been happier.

I have always had a passion for hardware, many will disagree with what I say next but this is a personal thought: software isn't real. It isn't tangible, most code doesn't do anything that has any direct effect other than through people interacting (if that) with the real world. It is a format of making that does not age well as most code fails after a few years, it's all in your mind, and it never interfaces or have a texture outside of a screen or a keyboard. It doesn't have the feeling of a true project.

My suggestion is to start tinkering with hardware. The feeling of accomplishing real world things - even if it's just an LED blinking! Is extremely exciting for someone tired of only imagining physical processes and instead actually witnessing your code doing things in the real, physical, actual world.

I did this, and it opened a whole new world for me. I build robots from scratch, and I've turned it into my full time job. Even if most never go that far (hardware is hard! I don't suggest it in most cases! ) it will still be the best decision you could make for your mental health.

Write some code, see it play out in the real world. Have fun with servos, motors, lights, vibration motors (my favorite, seeing them jump around) , and rekindle that child within you. You'll love all forms of coding afterwards again, and you'll build some cool stuff you can show your friends and family and be proud.

You could be a great hardware hacker in disguise, we need more of them in the world!