You sound super burnt out and taking a (possibly permanent) break sounds like just what you need. On the other hand I, at 50, am looking forward to another 25 years of programming with any luck. I think almost everything has improved since I first started with much improved processes (no more waterfall), new and interesting programming languages (with jobs using them), free software becoming firmly established, much better tooling, more interesting work (cloud and distributed systems have added much fun, including improving those distributed systems), enlightened views on testing and documentation being very important (I remember when simple unit tests were frowned upon as wasted time), nearly everything in the software process is automatable (CI, CD are great), etc.
I obviously am at a different place than you but I don't think everyone who enjoys the work has Stockholm Syndrome and needs to be pitied. Some of us honestly enjoy it and I plan on working as long as possible as I really like the external supply of ideas to create.
Though had my carrier taken a different path than it did I can easily see being as burnt out as you. I worked briefly at a large enterprise company (not software makers, think greek sneakers) which was so terrible.. if that sort of job was my only option I wouldn't have lasted a decade in this business. That place was seriously depressing.
I obviously am at a different place than you but I don't think everyone who enjoys the work has Stockholm Syndrome and needs to be pitied. Some of us honestly enjoy it and I plan on working as long as possible as I really like the external supply of ideas to create.
Though had my carrier taken a different path than it did I can easily see being as burnt out as you. I worked briefly at a large enterprise company (not software makers, think greek sneakers) which was so terrible.. if that sort of job was my only option I wouldn't have lasted a decade in this business. That place was seriously depressing.