Might as well post an update (my old account was 'grizzleb') seeing as this thread has been bumped again.
So my soujourn in mental equilibrium that I talked about upthread was eventually pretty short lasting, I had pretty much a functional breakdown 18 months or so back brought about by a confluence of different factors. Though at the time I thought I was going properly mad (and probably was) ultimately it led me further to working through some stuff and was probably for the best in the grand scheme of things.
Now I'm on antidepressants and I think they've worked pretty well for me. Though my life circumstances are pretty much how they always have been I no longer feel as bad about them and I think that's due to the dampening effect the antidepressants have on my emotions. I sometimes wonder if I'm being reduced somewhat by them but I honestly think that if things are desperate enough then doing something to minimise one's emotions isn't necessarily a bad thing. Using 'unnatural' stuff to help one cope in an 'unnatural' world doesn't seem that irrational to me, especially when the alternative is often so unbearable.
Also however, I found that CBT (in particular the 'Overcoming' series of books) pretty helpful. CBT has a terrible reputation amongst most skeptical/intellectual types in my experience, but I think that's probably not entirely justified. It can come across as a one-size-fits-all solution to the complex, particular problems of human emotional life but I think that's only if its engaged with on that level. At base it seems like a kind set of rational procedure to go through to undermine some of the more dangerous mental habits that people in general can fall prey to; fundamentally it has a rationalist/humanist assumptions at its core. Worth investigating for anyone who is troubled by mental worries in my experience, if you use it as another tool and an aid in your own self-analysis and reflection rather than some kind set of strictures to adhere to that will 'fix' everything.
Also, exercise, eating well, sleeping well, having projects to engage in that you find personally satisfying, and working as little as possible in shitty jobs all seem to help.
And also accepting to some degree that human life is a messy complicated thing that rarely goes as wished is useful. Greek tragedy is instructive here.
Hope you're doing well you. My old flatmate Kev had something published in your journal recently - was a weird 'board is life' scenatio.