How to handle friends addicted to drugs

[Chip McDonald]

ok, so among the other crappy things going on in my life, it seems like suddenly everyone around me has drug problems.

 

I'm talking about people from all walks of life, and literally all ages. It's completely surreal what is suddenly going on in the past 2 months or so.

 

It would seem among people 25 and younger or so, most everyone is doing oxycontin/percocet. As in, I'm discovering it's almost ubiquitous - I almost get the sensation that literally everyone is doing it.

 

Everyone else seems to have developed a coke habit almost overnight. People from *all* different backgrounds, I have no explanation for it - it's suddenly everywhere in my town.

 

It's like everyone around me has something in the closet, and there's nothing I can do about it. There's no rhyme or reason to it - it's not like I'm talking about some little community - it's people I know who are doctors, lawyers, people in real estate, musicians, a librarian, a girl who runs a pool business, a secretary, .. I mean, .. I don't know anymore.

 

I just spent a few hours on the phone with a friend who I had no idea was into it - he's now strung out apparently, he's been doing it with another person I know that I thought did it but I didn't know involved this other person... This friend *will die from it*, I know him - there's nothing I can do to talk him out of it.

 

I just had another friend basically tell me a few weeks ago she didn't want to talk to me, because she'd been hiding a percocet addiction from me that I found out about awhile back - and while I thought she had it under control, she didn't. She can't stop, she can't not be around it - it's every where now, and she knew it hurt me so that was that.

 

And I know there's nothing I can do! It's like talking to a brick wall, trying to get it to be a marble wall or something. It's not going to change.

 

It's become overwhelming. It's made me so jaded that basically I feel like, since you never can tell, as far as I know everyone has a drug addiction. That I don't really know anybody, and I can't trust anybody.

 

and on top of that - *I can't do anything about it!*. I've always known people with "drug problems" - but it's always been a tertiary thing. Now, it seems like everyone has a drug problem, just about everyone... From the left wing obvious stoner/hippies, to the far right "conservatives" - it's so pervasive and "invisible", but suddenly it seems like it's become so saturated that people are having more trouble disguising it... and it just seems like everyone has a problem.

 

and I want to stress I'm not viewing some small slice of the local music scene - I see all walks of life through my job and friends, and it's *everywhere* suddenly. Suddenly everyone I know is either in a bad situation with their relationships, or they're messed up with drugs, or both... Even people I knew that were on the "church side" of the people I know, it's.. so alienating. I expect this from the more provocative element that I know.. but discovering someone you know who *is trying to be a pastor at a local church is a freaking heroin junky* is crazy, that ... anyhow... life is gett.. has gotten too surreal. Kids eating percocet like it's candy, coke is like what it must have been like in the 70's but worse, crack - I have a cousin that was in jail for it! A close friend of mine just had his sister locked away because of it, I can go on and on... and there's no applicable pattern of behavior, people are just freaking out over things and finding drugs as escape? Or th.. I don't know...

 

 

 

--------------

 

 

So here's the point to this rambling post:

 

I'm not looking for advice to "help" someone; if you've been around people like this, you know it's futile. I've tried, I'm exhausted, and I've finally realized the futility of it. I don't want to see posts about "ask them to go to church" or some such. It doesn't work.

 

The point to this post is dealing with the futility. It's killing me - for that matter, here I am at 8 am, having not slept, living like *I'm* on drugs, just thinking about it.

 

I know I can't do anything. I know I'm watching a number of people I know slowly kill themselves. There's nothing I can do. I can't be with them 24/7, I can't force them to not do something. I can't make them not think about what's instigating it, whether it's job stress, a girlfriend cheating, whatever... or the worse, in cases where there just ISN'T a reason at all, it's just "happened"...

 

How do you cope with that...?

 

The thing that's killing me is that it's just another alienating factor in my life. It's killing me because it is superceding love. It destroys everything - trust, and the value of love and friendship. I'm not handling that concept very well.

 

/sure you wanted me back...?

[Lee Knight]

Number 1, for me, is not letting other people's problems drag you down. Unfortunately, you've got to separate yourself from anyone doing this to themselves. What's killing them, will kill you.

 

You said...

It's killing me because it is superceding love. It destroys everything - trust, and the value of love and friendship. I'm not handling that concept very well.

 

 

It sounds like you have a lot of love for your friends. Keep the love, but don't let their silly/tragic mistakes

 

1 - taint your love for them

2 - bring you down with them.

 

I don't think you have to trust someone to love them. just don't get too close to the fire or you'll get burned.

 

I know... I've burned some good people in my day.

[miroslav]

Originally posted by Chip McDonald:

It's like everyone around me has something in the closet, and there's nothing I can do about it. There's no rhyme or reason to it - it's not like I'm talking about some little community - it's people I know who are doctors, lawyers, people in real estate, musicians, a librarian, a girl who runs a pool business, a secretary, ..

I think this is the result of people being too preoccupied with "success"...

...busy, busy, busy...no time to really kick back...no time to "smell those roses"...

 

...but...who cares, 'cuz there's always those pills that make you feel good while you are on-the-go.

[E-money]

Lee is right on about this, don't let it burn you.

A lot of people go through a drug faze, some people go through a heavy drug faze. Some survive, some don't, it's kind of Darwinesque.

 

Just hope that you can be there when the survivors wise up.

 

Again, don't let it burn you, avoid the easy path, look for lightness, there is still good in the world, it's just a little more obscured then it used to be.

[Jimbroni]

I also agree with Lee. These people, if addicted, are no longer the same people you once knew, they are lost and you'll have to wait and see if they find their way back or not. Also, attempting to maintain a relationship with these folks when you don't approve of what they are doing just reinforces their position, "that its all good". I know it sucks but abandoning them, may help them by shedding some light on the negativity they are creating. Unfortunately addicts usually need to hit bottom before they can rebuild.

[shniggens]

Originally posted by Chip McDonald:

It would seem among people 25 and younger or so, most everyone is doing oxycontin/percocet. As in, I'm discovering it's almost ubiquitous - I almost get the sensation that literally everyone is doing it.

 

Everyone else seems to have developed a coke habit almost overnight. People from *all* different backgrounds, I have no explanation for it - it's suddenly everywhere in my town.

 

*Sigh* - whatever happened to just being a pothead?

[GeorgeVW]

It sounds like you maybe need something like Al-Anon, which is a support system for family and friends of addicts. You could also find a local open meeting of Narcotics Anonymous, and they can probably point you at some resources. You can't get anybody else off drugs - they're the only ones who can do that for themselves. Dealing with your feelings and the helplessness of being unable to do anything can really wrench you around, though, and a support group can help. I've had way too many friends go missing because of their habits, and it's a bitch. Many times in my life, I've been the only non-addict in the band (usually it's been with a bunch of recovering addicts working a 12-step program, but sometimes they're not recovering). I've seen friends with 14 and 15 years of sobriety lose it be dead in 6 months. From this, I urge you to find a support group of some sort and get things sorted out as to what you need to do with your life.

[LiveMusic]

Chip, I'm on your side but how in the world do you know these things? You have named just about every type of person, how would you know this? Are you sure you are not seeing things that aren't there? Drugs are a non-issue for my circle of friends. There are only a few people I know who have a problem. Are you sure you're not taking a few people's habits and extrapolating it to everyone?

[Lee Flier]

Chip... I know I've said it before but REALLY... GET THE HELL OUT OF AUGUSTA!!!

 

I think this problem IS pretty widespread... another friend of mine moved to New Orleans for awhile and he said EVERYONE he met there had a cabinetful of some pretty nasty prescription meds as a matter of course. And yeah, the coke, etc. I don't know what to say except that it reflects some of the stuff I was talking about in that other thread... and that it certainly does explain a lot of people's looney behavior.

 

I guess the rest of us who haven't succumbed to the Pod People yet just have to stick together. Luckily, I've found a group of friends who want nothing to do with that stuff, and it shows. You don't have to wonder or be mistrusting because it is noticable in their daily behavior that they're saner than most people you run into. And they're committed to being that way.

 

Never would've thought that a bunch of musicians would be the sanest people I know.

 

But seriously, you NEED to move to where there's a more diverse crowd of people. I'm not just talking about "walks of life" either. You're just suffocating in that town Chip.

[where02190]

Help for you to cope. (They\'re not just for alcoholics)

 

Help for them, however it only works if they want it.

 

The best advise for you is to get some new friends and aquaintances. Stay in the sandbox and eventually you'll get sand down your pants.

[phaeton]

Never would've thought that a bunch of musicians would be the sanest people I know.

 

That's because we've already been there, wrecked that..... Most of us in our younger days (read: highschool) where we were:

 

1) invincible

2) without any responsibility

3) unable to finance any huge addiction

 

We've all gotten it out of our system already.

 

Chip,

I've never been to Georgia myself, but my gf grew up in (Atlanta) GA and often talks about how Augusta blows.

 

You and i both know that Lee is a pretty sharp tack and she wouldn't lead you astray.

 

Relocating sucks, i know, but have you ever considered greener pastures?

[halljams]

You know, Chip i read your posts and i swear you are making the choice to seek out things that will make you miserable.

You need to help yourself by deciding to be happy.

That requires directing your atention and thoughts to things that will make you happy and feel good instead of letting them wander to the negatives.

 

You are in default mode. Anyone can sit around and think these thoughts. Great men have control of their minds and thoughts.

You need to be aware that you have the option to control your thoughts and then work on using that power for your own and others good.

 

-Your senses give you information

-You then have options as to how you percieve that information, this is controlled by your will. You might percieve the information negatively or positively.

-Your will is the tool that your inner self/soul/ego uses to control your perception of the information your senses give you.

 

You can be controlled by your senses and let your perceptions run free with the silly old patterns most easily accessed in your mind or you can be in control of your self and decide your own fate and create new healthy patterns.

[KenElevenShadows]

I think Chip needs to print out Halljams' post and glue it to his mirror.

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

This post won't help anyone, but just wanted to point out that I've read recently that cities in the South do indeed have some of the most quickly-rising drug abuse statistics in the country. I don't know how this is measured, so don't ask me.

 

But I doubt location change would make 100% difference. Chip's post was very similar to phone call from a friend of mine, who claimed that "everyone he knew in Colorado Springs" was using meth. This was bumming him out. I had to ask him if possibly his choice of people with whom he associated might have something to do with what he was experiencing.

 

I've had to make the tough call of just not hanging around people who got too deep into bad drugs. I couldn't help them, and it wasn't good for me to try in vain to help them. I know this is a sorry-assed attitude, but since the problem you're trying to solve affects the thought process needed to solve the problem...

 

... it's an ugly catch-22.

 

Good luck.

 

- Jeff

[Tedly Nightshade]

al anon

 

no kidding and for real!

 

changed my life.

 

Not just about dealing with addicts/alkies either- it's about all control issues, control freaks, etc., and life in general.

 

highest recommendation. Recommended beyond what I can recommend of AA and NA- although those can be lifesavers too. But I find al anon to be the more progressive, growth oriented program.

[Anderton]

I really can't add anything to what's already been said. You people never cease to amaze me with your compassion, intelligence, practicality, and downright good sense.

 

Chip, I truly believe these posts have handed you all the keys you need to deal with what's happening.

 

FYI I auditioned for a band once where once I got there, I found out the bass player was a junkie. I withdrew as a possible player and got the hell out of there. I just didn't want to be dragged into that circle, no matter how peripherally.

[GTRBass]

This might sound stupid, but maybe the increase in substance abuse can be somewhat attributed to a growing discontent and hopelessness in the general public.

 

1) Our Governement is so conservative it's bordering on repression. Hell, I'm a republican and even I think they're going too far.

 

2) The media has us all scared sh*tless that the world is about to end after the next commercial. I kid you not that a friend of mine was in Columbus Ohio when the Tsunami hit. He said the news ran a report on the "dangers of a Tsunami hitting Columbus." I don't know about you but I sem to remember from my 3rd GRADE GEOGRAPHY CLASS that if someone in Columbus Ohio is worried about a Tsunami coming in off lake Erie, they need some sincere psychiatric assistance. Meanwhile some half senile bluehaired old lady in Columbus is worried that she's gonna drown becuase the asshats at the 6 o'clock news realized it was sweeps week.

 

3) There's a bunch of even more repressive weanies running around who want to kill anyone who doesn't want to follow their idiotic fundamentalist ideology. I read a report on CNN.com yesterday that some Mullahs in Iran are mad at their own youth who decided to enjoy themselves laughing and flirting with each other on a somber Muslim holiday. Umm, Mr. Ayatollah sir, how about a nice cup of shut the f*ck up!!! "Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone".

 

4) The best thing the networks can think of to entertain us is a show about celebrities without their makeup on. Yes, Farrah's now an old bag. Excuse me, can you please leave my fond memory of her in that bathing suit poster alone?

 

5) Conan the Barbarian is now the governor of Cowlifornia!!! I was wondering when he was going to appoint Grace Jones as secretary of state, and make Wilt Chamberlin Lt. governor.

 

No wonder Hunter S. Thompson wanted to kill himself. The early '70's were a picnic compared to this.

 

It's sad but no surprise that the good folks of Augusta have turned to cocaine and barbituates for relief.

 

All joking aside, I don't know what you can do about it except to create a comfort zone between yourself and those who indulge in habits you don't agree with. I know from experience the heartbreak of dealing with substance abusers who are friends and family. You cannot make a person change. Only they can decide to live a healthier lifestyle.

[halljams]

Originally posted by GTRBass:

This might sound stupid, but maybe the increase in substance abuse can be somewhat attributed to a growing discontent and hopelessness in the general public.

 

1) Our Governement is so conservative it's bordering on repression. Hell, I'm a republican and even I think they're going too far.

 

2) The media has us all scared sh*tless that the world is about to end after the next commercial. I kid you not that a friend of mine was in Columbus Ohio when the Tsunami hit. He said the news ran a report on the "dangers of a Tsunami hitting Columbus." I don't know about you but I sem to remember from my 3rd GRADE GEOGRAPHY CLASS that if someone in Columbus Ohio is worried about a Tsunami coming in off lake Erie, they need some sincere psychiatric assistance. Meanwhile some half senile bluehaired old lady in Columbus is worried that she's gonna drown becuase the asshats at the 6 o'clock news realized it was sweeps week.

 

3) There's a bunch of even more repressive weanies running around who want to kill anyone who doesn't want to follow their idiotic fundamentalist ideology. I read a report on CNN.com yesterday that some Mullahs in Iran are mad at their own youth who decided to enjoy themselves laughing and flirting with each other on a somber Muslim holiday. Umm, Mr. Ayatollah sir, how about a nice cup of shut the f*ck up!!! "Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone".

 

4) The best thing the networks can think of to entertain us is a show about celebrities without their makeup on. Yes, Farrah's now an old bag. Excuse me, can you please leave my fond memory of her in that bathing suit poster alone?

 

5) Conan the Barbarian is now the governor of Cowlifornia!!! I was wondering when he was going to appoint Grace Jones as secretary of state, and make Wilt Chamberlin Lt. governor.

 

No wonder Hunter S. Thompson wanted to kill himself. The early '70's were a picnic compared to this.

 

It's sad but no surprise that the good folks of Augusta have turned to cocaine and barbituates for relief.

 

Right, and you and most other people are making THE CHOICE to pay attention to it all.

[Lee Flier]

Right, and you and most other people are making THE CHOICE to pay attention to it all.

OK... so we should all just ignore what's going on around us?

[miroslav]

Originally posted by halljams:

You need to help yourself by deciding to be happy.

That requires directing your atention and thoughts to things that will make you happy and feel good instead of letting them wander to the negatives.

 

You are in default mode. Anyone can sit around and think these thoughts. Great men have control of their minds and thoughts.

Halljams

 

You are right on the money!

 

I know other people who have this tendency to focus too much and too often on depressing things.

Sure...there are many of those things around us...and we should NOT just look the other way and go about or biz.

But...endless hand wringing over that shit does NO ONE any good!!!

 

If you see someone in trouble...and you can do something to help them...then help them. But if you can't...then dwelling on it 'til it makes YOU sick...is of NO benefit to anyone.

 

There are actually many people that are drawn to misery...it's like slowing down to see that roadside wreck...only those folks would just as soon park, so they can watch even longer.

Again...if you can help...help...

...if you can't, then give some thought to it if you need to in order to sort it out...but then MOVE ON...don't let it make YOU sick too.

 

Right now is not what I would call a "banner year" in my life. My day gig has lost it's luster...and we have been going through a slow reorganization that makes root canal therapy a possible fun event!

 

My Dad...he's got his lung cancer problem...and it's been a very frustrating time...mostly because he is refusing to take the fight to the illness...and instead, is making himself sicker than he needs to be...by folding up.

And as much as I feel bad for him because he has the cancer...I'm more angry with him because he is letting it get the best of him, when he actually has a VERY good chance of beating it...but, HE HAS TO WANT IT.

 

Anyway...I didn't mean to unload my problems...but I want to make the point that if I dwelled on some of this negative stuff...every minute of every day...I would be in trouble!

I'm not avoiding it...but...I'm not going to make myself sick over it either.

I'm trying very hard to stay happy and positive. It's harder to do that than to just give in to the sadness.

[halljams]

Originally posted by Lee Flier:

Right, and you and most other people are making THE CHOICE to pay attention to it all.

OK... so we should all just ignore what's going on around us?

You should be acutely aware of how much of it actually affects your own well being and consider why the information is available.

 

Chances are someone gains something by giving you that information. Do you really need that garbage floating around in your head?

Politics is advertising, what you see of politics is manipulation.

If someone wants to get involved and get their hands dirty, go for it, the world needs you, but to sit back and watch and get miserable over it is a waste of your life.

But hey this is a nation that spends their only days off watching sports on TV, watching someone else live a "fabricated for humour life" most weekday evenings. And, is so suseptible to suggestion that just because they put the name real in front of it, people think it must be better than "not real".

 

 

Television is not "What is going on around you"

CNN is NOT "What is going on around you"

Most newspapers and magazines are not "What is going on around you"

 

What is going on around you is a whole bunch of confused lonely people taking the road of greed and laziness, and, incredibly, having attitudes about it.

Something needs to change on a basic societal level or someone is gonna change it for you USA.

You WILL NOT maintain a the powerful position you have for long at this rate.

 

Personally i think someone is gonna blow you guys up pretty soon.

I don't like the idea myself, but my view at this point is that if you guys don't get off the bullshit wagon, the loss of your society as a whole, in the grand scheme of things, will be a relief to many other cultures with higher values and aspirations for their time here on earth.

[nursers]

Some well-known alcohol and other drug facts (to avoid getting political):

 

1. Promotion of abstinence as only alternative doesn't work. Didn't work for sexual health, doesn't work for drugs. All it does is increase attractiveness of doing something different.

 

2. US Health Dept has an abstinence / Just Say No policy.

 

Combine the two, and you see what you do Chip.

 

As far as you coping with it, the advice given so far is good. You'll either love or hate Al-Anon or Narc-Anon. I would, like others, challenge your assumption that just about everyone is doing it. The US has high drug use rates, but not that high

[shniggens]

Originally posted by GTRBass:

This might sound stupid, but maybe the increase in substance abuse can be somewhat attributed to a growing discontent and hopelessness in the general public.

 

1) Our Governement is so conservative it's bordering on repression. Hell, I'm a republican and even I think they're going too far.

 

2) The media has us all scared sh*tless that the world is about to end after the next commercial. I kid you not that a friend of mine was in Columbus Ohio when the Tsunami hit. He said the news ran a report on the "dangers of a Tsunami hitting Columbus." I don't know about you but I sem to remember from my 3rd GRADE GEOGRAPHY CLASS that if someone in Columbus Ohio is worried about a Tsunami coming in off lake Erie, they need some sincere psychiatric assistance. Meanwhile some half senile bluehaired old lady in Columbus is worried that she's gonna drown becuase the asshats at the 6 o'clock news realized it was sweeps week.

 

3) There's a bunch of even more repressive weanies running around who want to kill anyone who doesn't want to follow their idiotic fundamentalist ideology. I read a report on CNN.com yesterday that some Mullahs in Iran are mad at their own youth who decided to enjoy themselves laughing and flirting with each other on a somber Muslim holiday. Umm, Mr. Ayatollah sir, how about a nice cup of shut the f*ck up!!! "Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone".

 

4) The best thing the networks can think of to entertain us is a show about celebrities without their makeup on. Yes, Farrah's now an old bag. Excuse me, can you please leave my fond memory of her in that bathing suit poster alone?

 

5) Conan the Barbarian is now the governor of Cowlifornia!!! I was wondering when he was going to appoint Grace Jones as secretary of state, and make Wilt Chamberlin Lt. governor.

 

Put the crack pipe down and STEP AWAY FROM THE TV!!!

[miroslav]

Originally posted by halljams:

 

Something needs to change on a basic societal level or someone is gonna change it for you USA.

You WILL NOT maintain a the powerful position you have for long at this rate.

 

Personally i think someone is gonna blow you guys up pretty soon.

I don't like the idea myself, but my view at this point is that if you guys don't get off the bullshit wagon, the loss of your society as a whole, in the grand scheme of things, will be a relief to many other cultures with higher values and aspirations for their time here on earth.

Ahhh...well wait a minute now.

 

Now you're turning this into a political thing by trying to say it's everyone in the USA only...???

 

Hey I agree with you that people need to focus on being/staying happy...but I agree only from a general social/global aspect...

ALL PEOPLE.

 

I don't think the USA has a monopoly on sadness...actually not at all. There may be worse places than the USA for dwelling all-out daily misery.

[halljams]

Originally posted by miroslav:

Originally posted by halljams:

 

Something needs to change on a basic societal level or someone is gonna change it for you USA.

You WILL NOT maintain a the powerful position you have for long at this rate.

 

Personally i think someone is gonna blow you guys up pretty soon.

I don't like the idea myself, but my view at this point is that if you guys don't get off the bullshit wagon, the loss of your society as a whole, in the grand scheme of things, will be a relief to many other cultures with higher values and aspirations for their time here on earth.

Ahhh...well wait a minute now.

 

Now you're turning this into a political thing by trying to say it's everyone in the USA only...???

 

Hey I agree with you that people need to make focus on being/staying happy...but I agree only from a general social/global aspect...

ALL PEOPLE.

 

I don't think the USA has a monopoly on sadness...actually not at all. There may be worse place than the USA for dwelling all-out daily misery.

I definately agree, but the US is the KING of Sadness without justification or chosen sadness due to lack of direction.

Plus the fact that the US is the trend setter and originator for this type of society for many other countries makes it the center in my mind and it also means it carries a heavy load of responsibility given it's power. This is getting neglected for finance.

Sorry now i am getting political, something i never want to do.

[miroslav]

Well...I don't know if that's easily proven.

 

If anything...I think that here in the USA you get a lack of deep interest from most people. They care...but not for too long or too deep.

 

But the sadness thing....I think that's just human nature...worldwide.

 

How's that go?

 

"Misery loves company."

[halljams]

Sorry Miro, i edited on you.

[Lee Flier]

Originally posted by halljams:

You should be acutely aware of how much of it actually affects your own well being and consider why the information is available.

What information? Chip is bummed because he has a lot of friends addicted to drugs. Is he supposed to just be immune to that and not care?

 

As for the rest of your points, I think Chip is VERY aware of all that if you've followed his posts.

 

Television is not "What is going on around you"

CNN is NOT "What is going on around you"

Most newspapers and magazines are not "What is going on around you"

 

What is going on around you is a whole bunch of confused lonely people taking the road of greed and laziness, and, incredibly, having attitudes about it.

Something needs to change on a basic societal level...

Dude... I AGREE. But here's the thing: if everyone around you seems fucked up beyond repair and you feel like the only person who isn't a slave to TV, drugs, the rat race, political rhetoric, whatever... then HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT WOULD MAKE YOU FEEL?

 

It's bizarre that you're complaining about the same cultural ailments that Chip is complaining about... and yet you seem to feel that if he's complaining he must be part of it, that anyone who is witnessing that among their friends and neighbors wouldn't or "shouldn't" be sad about it.

 

And as for "getting out and doing something about it," what could he do exactly? As others have pointed out here, you can't change an addict. He could move, and maybe meet some people who weren't quite so mired in what the people in his town are mired in (and it is real, I've travelled enough to know that Augusta is an exceptionally odd place to say the least). But it's his home town and he is no doubt emotionally and logistically attached to it in many ways, and disengagement isn't easy.

 

Is it OK to just allow someone to be sad about something that, quite frankly, deserves to be responded to with sadness? Did you ever consider that maybe some people would quit looping on sad subjects if they could just find others who understood what they were talking about?

[halljams]

(in response to Miro)So as individuals we lack depth of caring because our society's structure doesn't allow us to feel good about ourselves, so how can we take the time to think about other people when we are lost and confused and all fucked up?

 

The answer is to start paying attention to ourselves and figure out what makes us happy as individuals and ignore the bullshit that commercial society drops on us like a fucking hammer everyday. If that means relocating to somewhere quieter than a metropolis, then so be it.

[Lee Flier]

I agree halljams, but it has zero relevance to Chip's situation. What happens if you figure out what makes YOU happy (which I believe he has done) but it requires collaborating with others and no one around you understands or supports it?

 

I don't think moving out to the country is appropriate for Chip, knowing his situation and what he wants to do.