Ugh, I agree the lack of noise regulations is a serious issue no one talks about. I moved away from the city in large part because it was always loud. Pretty sure I got tinnitus from years of daily earplug and headphone use, too.

Nowadays, I always sleep with a fan on for noise, and if that’s not enough then I play this. Doesn’t block everything out, but really helps reduce my irritation. https://youtu.be/hXetO_bYcMo

I’ve been using Windscribe for 10 years and have been nothing but impressed. Always surprised they don’t get mentioned more in these posts.

You can easily get it to work without a Microsoft account, just not in an officially supported way.

Search locally. Try finding web designers/developers in your city first, and if that doesn’t work then check out websites of local businesses and see what developer they used (usually linked at the bottom of the home page).

Neither of these sound like good situations to me. Do whichever makes the most sense short term, but keep looking for something better.

Others have said depression, but this can also be caused by burnout or ADHD. If you’ve tried the usual suggestions (better sleep, exercise, diet) and it’s really bothering you, then talking to a doctor could help narrow down the possibilities.