Addiction is separate from circumstances.

Look at Heath Ledger, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, etc etc etc.

Heath was young, successful, dating a billionaire, and had everything in the world at his fingertips. He decided to have a one man party with drugs and alcohol.

Anyone can meditate.

You don’t have to imagine the beach or the mountains. Just find a quiet spot in your mind. Some folks just look at the inside of their eyelids.

It took me a long time to get the racing thoughts to settle down. One thing I would do is close my eyes and start the meditation by thinking about fireworks going off. After a few explosions it was easy to tell myself it was time to relax.

Inhale on ‘one,’ hold a beat and then exhale on ‘two.’ Repeat.

Even if it’s five seconds to start it’s a beginning.

You can also do it while walking or riding a bike. Obviously you don’t close your eyes, but you try to think about nothing but the next step or push on the pedal.

You can learn to meditate anywhere.

It’s like any other skill, you have to put some effort in at the start, but the results are worth it.

You don’t need meditation tapes, candles, or anything else.

Find a quiet place, sit down, close your eyes and try to find a quiet spot in your mind. A beach or a mountain top or grandma’s kitchen; wherever you feel most serene.

You can just count “one, two one, two” as you breath in and out.

Just try to keep your thoughts quiet for ten seconds to start. Then work up to 30 seconds, and then a minute.

“My dad says you sued to be evil, but now you’re just cranky.”

iirc

[off topic]

I remember the golden age of the DVD Man. That noble soul who had all the latest movies on DVD a day after they opened. Quality ranged from someone recording the movie in the theater with a camcorder to perfect copies taken directly from the source.

Find a successful club and talk to the people who run it.

Doesn’t have to be related to your particular area; just a club that’s been running a while.

Also, these things take work. I do a bit of work in the groups I belong to, and I see the folks at the top doing way more work.

Good luck. Nice to see happy news here.

Hunter Thompson opined that the US draft was better than the alternative.

Under the draft everyone, rich and poor, was expected to serve. With a ‘volunteer army’ only the poor need to go.

Another drafted vet said that draftees are more likely to speak up if civilians are targeted because the soldiers know that they are eventually going home. Lifers will obey all orders.

If he’s an adult you can call the police.

People have family members arrested all the time.

Just vacationed in Belize. Tiny place near Guatemala and Mexico on the Caribbean. It’s the only English speaking country in South America; founded by English pirates who wanted to steal Spanish gold. Great food, friendly people, and interesting history.

Good luck

I don’t know where you live, so I can only tell you what worked in my area.

First, the local library. Near me the main branch has a Job Opportunity Center where they have listings for all the civil service jobs.

The Chief-Leader is a New York City website/printed newspaper that has listings of all Civil Service jobs in the area.

You can contact the state/province Department of Labor and see what they have.

Apply for Civil Service jobs.

You won’t get hired quickly, but the jobs come with great benefits and strong unions.

Franz is here to help you, little man. Bend over and breath deeply. It will all be over in fifteen to twenty minutes.

Isaac Asimov wrote books on a wide range of topics.

Start with him

Ask a librarian.

https://youtu.be/MPvJkB8q2v0

With lyrics.

To each their own.

Classic French thriller.

“Wages Of Fear.” Four men, two trucks, a desert, and five tons of unstable dynamite. They need to get the explosives to a uncontrolled oil well fire. They’ve got nothign to lose…

Look for ‘The Recruit.’ One season only [so far] Young lawyer gets hired by the CIA. Manages to mix office politics with national politics.