Sadly, more often than not when I see people starting to feel this way, it’s typically from Leaders/co-leaders.
Being responsible for an alliance, sharing responsibility, or just feeling like you have to look after people in general, wears on people harder, I think, than just playing the game only responsible for yourself.
And the thought of stepping away comes with an added level of guilt, which then adds to the stress.
I agree with trying things within the alliance to break up monotony. Our alliance has fun with War defenses, for example, some certainly destined to lose before the War begins. But we have a good time doing it.
I agree with adding to the social element. I could play tic-tac-toe every day if there were a social element beyond the X’s and O’s, like the people I play with.
I would also recommend taking a back seat in leadership for a while, freeing yourself from other people’s actions, and seeing how that makes you feel. And if you’re not able to do that in your own alliance, try it with another alliance. In fact, it may do you some good to bounce around a while, meet some new faces, see how others are doing things, etc.
And if you’re not able to do that because of guilt, from either yourself or others, hopefully it wouldn’t come to this, but then let people know you’re going to take a break from the game. Leave the alliance for about 24 hours, when all your chat has been wiped away change your game name, and join a new alliance as a ‘drifter’ with no expectations other than you’ll use all your flags and hit your titans. They’ll think you’re awesome. Stay for a bit, jump around, whatever. You can always return home.
If you do all that and you still find yourself here, then it’s probably just your time.