James, I think you shouldn't get discouraged. In my opininion no effort that you make goes for nothing. As Petrucci said in his column in Guitar World "playng guitar is about rises and falls"(somthing like that i don't remember tha right words)
I've gone through the same thing. Months back I was playing very hard to prepare for the Berklee audition. After I got back at home I was very disappointed about how bad i did that and there was this terrible feeling that all the months of playing scales and stuff for 6hrs/day are wasted. In the following 2-3 weeks even the thought of playng guitar made me feel I'm gonna puke. I had completely lost the ability to enjoy guitar, it was no more to me than studying Physics. Thanks God things gradually settled down back in the way they used to be.
Also another point: I guess you live somewhere in the western world. Think how many possibilities and resources you have and how luckier than, us the "non-humans" inhabiting the eastern part of europe. Just an example -- if I want to buy a Fender or Gibson(assuming prices around 1200$) I would have to spend my whole yearly income on it(no eating or drinking)
I don't want this to sound as a rant. Just wanted to give you an example that there are people around in much harder psitions which do not lose faith. I think this is a pretty good inspiration.
Again I am not making any kind of political or social or whatever offensive point here. I don't understand a S|#H of politcs.