If you want to find peace and happiness within yourself, then travelling is wihout doubt the best thing for you to do. Go to somewhere completely different to where you are now. I recommend Africa, do some volunteering and you can see life from people's prespective who are in poverty. Experience different cultures and just see all the amazing things there are to see in the world. You will come back a changed person trust, and then you'll just think how strange life is, and then probably be more confused, haha, no but seriously. When you return, everything wll be simple and you will naturally see a path to follow.
The recession is hitting everyone and you are not alone, there are so many people unemployed so you have already got one over them. The benefit of backpacking too is that you meet people that you can stay life long frinds with.
Just clear mind for a while and enjoy yourself. You seem ambitious, but you only live once, and travelling may be one of the best experiences of your life.