I have some of the same problems as Ian Murdock, and hit a very similar level of stress. I need something to hyperfocus on until this passes.
I am safe, but I want to shut down until I get over this.
Life sucks, then you die.
Best advice I have? Grab a book, sip your tea, and chill at a library until this all blows over.
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As @judahnator suggested, sink yourself in a good book.
The german originals to these were really good:
Life is hard, we all play the same game.
For me, the best way to calm down is listen to music, drawing, reading and writing myself.
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I listen to music, watch a show/movie, learn something new either here or randomly on other tech sites (blasphemy, I know), and flip through parts to upgrade my home build (may or may not happen sometimes, but it’s still fun).
If all else fails, pick a Linux thing you’ve never done before and learn how to do it just using the man pages and time. That will generally keep you busy. 
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I concur. Do something and complete it. Fold your clothes or learn something new … read a book … whatever. Just don’t be one of those people that ends their sentence in “…” because those people suck…
Personally my most successful attempts at dissolving negative feelings are doing something physical.
I like hiking, so getting out on a trail, rain or shine, makes me feel much more attuned to the world around me. Sometimes I run, but usually a moderate pace keeps me feeling lively, depression goes away quickly when I can hike and avoid other people.
Splitting firewood is very cathartic. It’s relatively mindless, and if I didn’t saw the sections, oftentimes wood I have gotten does not sit straight and so focusing on balance can be a mental distraction. Exertion is high, a good way to work out frustration and anger.
Weight lifting has a similar effect as firewood processing for me, and putting on a good album (mood-dependent there) and focusing on physical tension and putting myself on a rigid timing schedule (1-minute rest periods between sets, no more than 5 minutes between exercises) aids me in letting go of negative feelings, although it can be difficult to get myself to go to the gym on some days.
I should read more, but I have fallen out of it these days. Anything that keeps me from looking at my phone is good, though, as I think it’s basically a little stress-depression generator in my pocket. I wish I could get rid of it but simply don’t have the willpower.
Games are good too, but I generally find they are a bad solution to depression for me, I get too worked up about failures and instead of bolstering me they make me feel worse.
Good luck! I was diagnosed with seasonal and clinical depression when I was a teenager and although I believe I’ve done a good job of overcoming the clinical, the seasonal can wear on me, and these are some activities that help.
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Starting an AMD vs Intel thread in the cpu section always cheers me up 
On another forum ofcourse
It might depend on what’s getting you down. Everyone is different and so different people have different ways of dealing with depressive feelings. Re-stating what’s already been suggested such as, reading a good book, exercising, getting out in nature, doing something you enjoy, can help. It might also help to go out and be social. Maybe join a club, get involved with the community, reconnect with some old friends for a drink, do yoga? Whatever gets you through this period without going completely out of your mind. Life isn’t so bad. It definitely has its problems, but a lot of it depends on your outlook. Keep your head up.