Thank-you all again for the thoughtful replies. I'd forgotten about the EAP most employers have, I usually just gloss over this part of the benefits package. I've heard of CBT before and its benefits. Not sure if my insurance covers that but it's worth a look.
I may well be reading too much into this, but "easy" jobs tend not to be satisfying long-term. We are hard-wired to want to learn/grow, and so coasting along tends to deprive us of that sense of purpose. In addition, it sounds like your kids are getting older and thus more self-sufficient. My own therapist had an invaluable insight: my depression set in right when I expected to be happy, because my DD was driving and taking care of a bunch of boring logistical stuff that I hated, my DS was in MS and much more self-sufficient, and work was slow. So I had all this free time for date nights, for cooking big dinners, for the gym, and all that other fun stuff that goes by the wayside when life happens. But the reality was that that free time also generated an overwhelming sense of not being needed any more, of not really having anything that felt like a purpose.
Like I said, I may be reading too much into this, because you are not me. But are you largely coasting in life, between the easy job and easier/older kids? Because that's fun, but not satisfying. Definitely go talk to a therapist (I found medication to be pretty life-changing myself). But also consider whether you need a little more challenge in your life, something to push yourself to grow in.
This is interesting and I was just reading up on a post in Quora about how we as humans were meant to overcome, problem-solve, avoid getting eaten and avoid starvation. Now in modern times we don't have to do much of the lasbt 2 but we were not meant to go through life without significant challenges and problems to solve. I think that's why we seek out thrills like running half-marathons, going on long, treacherous hikes, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, etc.
I left a high-stress job in Seattle and deliberately accepted this significantly dialed-back position here in AZ. For the first year or two, I really loved it. It was just the right thing at that time. Fast-forward only two years later and all I see are endless weeks of 4 10 hour days with a long commute on either end, a Friday taken up by some rest and a side-gig (I'm well over 50 hour with all that) and a weekend with the usual chores. It's not a hard life but.......dang I can't fathom 10 more years!
I will accept the promotion as it will build my resume, probably allow me to drop the side-gig which is only more of the same and only meant to add a few extra $. I think you're on to something Laura33 and it's been confirmed from a few other sources and should be a warning to me once I eventually do retire: boredom is going to ruin me. Can't do it, the brain will just rot.
One reason I've been avoiding challenges as of late is the old fear of failure. I end up going negative on myself when I fail at something ("yep, well there I go again, just one more screw-up..you're nothing but a screw-up henramdrea, may as well just not try to begin with") The gray matter says that's just wrong, bad, thinking so stop it! Then that bad thinking becomes the failure.....grrr. Now I'm sounding self-centered.
Thank-you sincerely for the insights, I'm reading every one.